The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs (159 page)

BOOK: The Concise Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs

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enough

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envied

see
BETTER be envied than pitied
.

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To ERR is human (to forgive divine)

Although known in Latin (
humanum est errare
, it is human to err) and in earlier English versions, this saying is generally quoted in Pope's words (quot. 1711). Cf.
c
1386
CHAUCER
Tale of Melibee
1. 1264 The proverbe seith that ‘for to do synne is mannyssh, but certes for to persevere longe in synne is werk of the devel’;
1539
R. MORISON tr.
J. L. Vives' Introduction to Wisdom
D7 It is naturally gyuen to al men, to erre, but to no man to perseuer .. therein.

1578
tr.
J. Yver's Courtly Controversy
E3
To offend is humaine, to repent diuine, and to perseuere diuelish.
1659
Proverbs
(French) 12
To erre is humane, to repent is divine, to persevere is Diabolicall.
1711
Essay on Criticism
1.525
Good-Nature and Good-Sense must ever join; To Err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine.
1908
Times Literary Supplement
27 Mar. 1
The modern moralist pardons everything, because he is not certain of anything, except that to err is human.
1980
‘’
Passing Strange
xiv.
After all ‘to err was human’ and—dedicated dominie [pedagogue] that he was—Burton knew all about mistakes.