Meanings
- Things do not always work out as they are planned.
Synonyms: man plans and God laughs
Synonyms & antonyms
proverbThings do not always work out as they are planned.
Origin
- Medieval Latinhomo proponit, sed Deus disponit
- Englishman proposes, God disposes
Calque of Medieval Latin homo proponit, sed Deus disponit, coined in Thomas à Kempis's De Imitatione Christi.
More words from Medieval Latin
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Chinese Mandarin 謀事在人，成事在天 /谋事在人, 成事在天
- 謀事在人，成事在天 /谋事在人things don't always work out as they were planned
- 成事在天 (móushì zài rén, chéngshì zài tiān)things don't always work out as they were planned
Czech člověk míní, pánbůh mění
- člověk míní, pánbůh měníthings don't always work out as they were planned
Dutch de mens wikt, God beschikt
- de mens wikt, God beschiktthings don't always work out as they were planned
Finnish ihminen päättää, Jumala säätää
- ihminen päättää, Jumala säätääthings don't always work out as they were planned
French l’homme propose et Dieu dispose
- l’homme propose et Dieu disposethings don't always work out as they were planned
German der Mensch denkt, Gott lenkt
- der Mensch denkt, Gott lenktthings don't always work out as they were planned
Hungarian ember tervez, Isten végez
- ember tervez, Isten végezthings don't always work out as they were planned
Irish is tusa a dúirt agus ní hé Dia
- is tusa a dúirt agus ní hé Diathings don't always work out as they were planned
Italian l'uomo propone Dio dispone
- l'uomo propone Dio disponethings don't always work out as they were planned
Latin homo proponit, sed Deus disponit
- homo proponit, sed Deus disponitthings don't always work out as they were planned
Polish człowiek strzela, Pan Bóg kule nosi
- człowiek strzela, Pan Bóg kule nosithings don't always work out as they were planned
Portuguese o homem põe e Deus dispõe
- o homem põe e Deus dispõethings don't always work out as they were planned
Romanian omul propune, Dumnezeu dispune
- omul propune, Dumnezeu dispunethings don't always work out as they were planned
Russian челове́к предполага́ет, а бог располага́ет
- челове́к предполага́ет, а бог располага́ет (čelovék predpolagájet, a box raspolagájet)things don't always work out as they were planned
Slovak človek mieni, pánboh mení
- človek mieni, pánboh meníthings don't always work out as they were planned
Spanish el hombre propone y Dios dispone
- el hombre propone y Dios disponethings don't always work out as they were planned
Swedish Människan spår, gud rår.
- Människan spår, gud rår.things don't always work out as they were planned
Vietnamese mưu sự tại nhân, thành sự tại thiên, người tính không bằng trời tính
- mưu sự tại nhân, thành sự tại thiênthings don't always work out as they were planned
- người tính không bằng trời tínhthings don't always work out as they were planned
Cite this entry
man proposes, God disposes. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20proposes%2C%20God%20disposes
“man proposes, God disposes.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20proposes%2C%20God%20disposes. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “man proposes, God disposes,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/man%20proposes%2C%20God%20disposes.
Source: man proposes, God disposes on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.