the early bird gets the worm - Wiktionary, the free dictionary

• the early bird catches the worm

the early bird gets the worm

1. Whoever arrives first has the best chance of success; some opportunities are available only to the first competitors.

• early to bed, early to rise
• first come, first served

• → Chinese: 早起的鳥兒有蟲吃／早起的鸟儿有虫吃 (zǎoqǐ de niǎor yǒu chóng chī) (calque)
• → German: der frühe Vogel fängt den Wurm (calque)