man proposes, God disposes
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Meaning · English
Things do not always work out as they are planned.
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Examples
Man proposes, God disposes.Mưu sự tại nhân, hành sự tại thiên.
Tatoeba sentence #270367 (CC BY 2.0 FR, tatoeba.org, retrieved 2026-07-31)
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Common questions
What does “man proposes, God disposes” mean?
Things do not always work out as they are planned.
Is “man proposes, God disposes” formal or informal?
No register label has been reviewed yet — treat it as neutral and check the usage notes above.