Kahou wa nete mate
Lay back and wait for good fortune
It is not always easy to patiently wait for results to show. Just imagine the lottery, job or school application, or even a wedding proposal―anxiety grows as the wait gets longer. But if your part of the work is done, and there is nothing left that you can do anymore, why don't you rest your anxiety and hope for the best outcome? However things turn out, you really have no other choice.
Like the Japanese saying, kahou wa nete mate says, “lay back and wait for an outcome.” This does not mean that, in life, if you just lay back and don't do anything that good luck will come your way. Rather, it is a caution against being too impatient for results. You've done all you could and agonizing over the results won't get you anywhere, so just sit back and relax. The outcome will happen in its own time. In this sense it is similar to the English expression, “the watched pot never boils.” It is also similar to our last expression, jinji o tsukushite tenmei o matsu. However, while that expression focused more on the “do your best” part of the equation, this expression focuses more on the “sit back and relax” part. Thus, you would use it to get someone to stop being impatient.
When someone cannot stop worrying over something that they cannot change, ease their anxiety by telling them, “kahou wa nete mate desu ne.” It is important to remember though, that nothing brings nothing; if you want to bring a positive outcome, you still have to work for it.
Usage note: Most Japanese sayings can be turned into complete sentences just by adding “desu” to the end. To add emphasis, add “desu yo”. To ask for agreements (think, “yeah,” “right,” “you know”), add “desu ne”.
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