Imitate time. It destroys slowly. It undermines, wears, loosens, separates. It does not uproot.

[Imitez le temps: il détruit tout avec lenteur; il mine, il use, il déracine, il détache, et n’arrache pas.]

Joseph Joubert (1754-1824) French moralist, philosopher, essayist, poet

Pensées [Thoughts], ch. 14 “Des Gouvernements [On Governments],” ¶ 31 (1793; 1850 ed.) [tr. Attwell (1896), ¶ 199]
    (Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Imitate time: it destroys every thing slowly; it undermines, it wears away, it detaches, it does not wrench.
[tr. Calvert (1866), ch. 12]

Let time be your example; it destroys everything slowly; it undermines, wears out, uproots, detaches, and never tears away.
[tr. Lyttelton (1899), ch. 13, ¶ 10]

Imitate time. It destroys slowly. It eats away, it uses up, it uproots, it detaches and does not rip apart.
[tr. Auster (1983), 1793 entry]