Or, depending on the context, you kight also consider: Nearly never won a race...

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk03_fgWp_ceMEFTYTUay...

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf=ALeKk02qQ-nOU_hyT7X400wr...

mastica is wrong the right is chews

suggestion

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 10 mins (2021-02-18 12:51:34 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

this is a literal translation of course

Unfortunately context is important since most of the time idioms won't have a perfect replacement in another language. There are many idioms that have a close meaning to ''piece of cake'' but they have slightly different meanings depending on the situation. As ''you can't have your cake and eat it too'', ''There ain't no such thing as a free lunch'' and ''...not willing to pay the price''

suggestion

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 2 hrs (2021-02-18 15:06:43 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

or: taking the easy way out gets you nowhere

Portuguese term (edited): Quer moleza, mastiga água

I don't know of any idiom or expression that translates this Brazilian phrase. According to a post on Word Reference, the expression comes from Northeast Brazil and means to "trail the path of least resistance". Please note: there is a typo in the term phrase, it should be "mastigar" instead of "masticar".

"Quer molega, mastigue água. Recado humorístico àquele(a) desejoso(a) de conseguir as coisas pela lei do menor esforço.

Parte da expressão (de cabeça para baixo), usam-na com muita frequência os nordestinos; de ponta-cabeça ocorre no Brasil da cintura para baixo. De qualquer modo, a expressão inteira parece-me ter originado no Nordeste." - https://forum.wordreference.com/threads/quer-moleza-mastigue...

"The path of least resistance' means doing things are easy for us to do, and that bring us true joy. For some, being highly active is the path of least resistance, and for some, it is binge watching Netflix for hours." - http://www.thekarmayogi.blog/path-least-resistance/#:~:text=...

"What I’m saying is that following this path of least resistance will never lead to physical or psychological growth. Given the choice, if you continuously make things easy, then when the level of difficulty is out of your control (like a judge at a competition, using a slick pull up bar, forgetting your weightlifting shoes) you are bound to become overwhelmed and allow your emotions to overcome your physical or mental capabilities." - https://profectusperform.com/the-easy-way-vs-the-right-way/



--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2021-02-18 14:07:53 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This might be of interest to translators:
Nordquist, Richard. "The Principle of Least Effort: Definition and Examples of Zipf's Law." ThoughtCo, Aug. 26, 2020, https://www.thoughtco.com/principle-of-least-effort-zipfs-la...

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 6 hrs (2021-02-18 19:05:32 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Correção: moleza