make hay while the sun shines

Etymology
Hay harvest can be spoiled by wet weather. It is important that farmers seize the opportunity of dry weather for haymaking tasks (cutting, drying, gathering). Especially in medieval times, when forecasting the weather several days in advance was more difficult, it was all the more vital. Attested since 1546, originally a Tudor expression, and used figuratively since 1673.

Verb

 * 1)  To make hay during favourable (dry) weather.
 * 2)  To act while an opportunity exists; to take action while a situation is favorable.

Usage notes
In the imperative form, this verb is used as a proverb.

Translations

 * Breton:
 * Chinese:
 * Mandarin:
 * Czech:
 * Dutch: het ijzer smeden als het heet is
 * Finnish:
 * French:
 * German: das Eisen schmieden, so lange es heißt ist
 * Greek: στη βράση κολλάει το σίδερο
 * Hindi: बहती गंगा में हाथ धोना
 * Hungarian:
 * Italian: battere il ferro finché è caldo
 * Japanese:
 * Lao: ນ້ຳຂຶ້ນໃຫ້ຮິບຕັກ
 * Macedonian: железото се кове додека е жешко
 * Malay: sediakan payung sebelum hujan
 * Polish:
 * Portuguese: aproveitar a maré
 * Russian: куй желе́зо, пока́ горячо́
 * Scottish Gaelic: buain am maorach nuair a tha an tràigh ann
 * Spanish: ahora que hay modo, la ocasión, la pintan calva