Verb
To grow ripe; to become mature, as grain, fruit, flowers, and the like; as, grapes ripen in the sun.
To approach or come to perfection.
To cause to mature; to make ripe; as, the warm days ripened the corn.
To mature; to fit or prepare; to bring to perfection; as, to ripen the judgment.
Source: Webster's dictionaryThe fruits of the earth are not brought to perfection immediately, but by time, rain and care; similarly, the fruits of men ripen through ascetic practice, study, time, perseverance, self-control and patience. Anthony the Great
The sun, with all those planets revolving around it and dependent on it, can still ripen a bunch of grapes as if it had nothing else in the universe to do. Galileo Galilei
Nothing great is created suddenly, any more than a bunch of grapes or a fig. If you tell me that you desire a fig. I answer you that there must be time. Let it first blossom, then bear fruit, then ripen. Epictetus
With time and straw medlars ripen. Italian Proverb
A mouse that removes the palm-nut that turns out to be the bait of a trap, would already have known that the palm-nut does not ripen on the ground. Nigerian Proverb
Much travel is needed to ripen a man's rawness. English Proverb