Daily Bunshou: Rocks and Ropes

”石の上にも三年。”
何事にも我慢は大切です。
とは言っても、時々、忍耐の緒が切れることもあります。

何事 - what, everything, nothing

我慢 - patience

大切 - important

とは言っても - however; that's so, but

時々 - sometimes (this little turn of phrase revolutionized my conversations in Japan, early on. 「寿司を食べる？」“うん、時々。”)

忍耐 - endurance

緒 - thread, cord, thong

忍耐の緒 - the string by which you hold your patience

切れる - to cut, potential form

Translation:

"After three years, even a cold rock can be comfortable."
Patience is important in everything.
However, there is a certain point when people can come to the end of their rope.

Notes:

緒 is also used for umbilical cord: へその緒。