Rome, with it’s fine architecture, couldn’t be built in a day. Likewise, important tasks call for a lot of hard work and take a long time to complete. This proverb teaches patience and perseverance, but sometimes it is used as an excuse for delay.
‘Haven’t you finished mowing the lawn yet?’ complained Mrs. Nagg. Her husband mopped his brow with his handkerchief.
‘Give me time,’ he answered. ‘Rome wasn’t built in a day.’