Hi! Welcome to “Dusty Phrases.” You will find a phrase below, in one ancient language or another, along with its English translation. You may also find the power to inspire your friends or provoke dread among your enemies.For other examples, visit HERE:
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Latin:
Deo volente
English:
God willing
If you’re ever in a situation where you might otherwise say “God willing” I recommend interjecting the Latin version, to elevate the culture.
Why would you ever say this phrase? Well, the answer lies primarily in the idea of maintaining humility. The New Testament book of James spells it out, fairly succinctly:
James 4: 13 Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— 14 yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes. 15 Instead you ought to say, “If the Lord wills, we will live and do this or that.” 16 As it is, you boast in your arrogance. All such boasting is evil.
That’s a hard thing to absorb. Is it actually arrogance and evil to casually state your plans? From a Christian perspective, it might be. It is no small thing to take a living God for granted. Is it a good idea to maintain humility regarding yourself and the future, even if you’re not a religious person? I’d argue that it is.
The secular philosophy of stoicism teaching a concept called “acceptance.” Part of acceptance is the acknowledgement of the truth that some things are beyond one’s control. Approaching each new day with humility makes acceptance an easier mindset to achieve. (via stoicsimple.com)
Stoicism is a philosophy that has been practiced for centuries and has more recently been gaining popularity as a means of promoting mental well-being. At its core, Stoicism teaches us the art of acceptance, that is, the ability to accept what we cannot control and focus on what we can. In this article, we will explore the origins of Stoicism, key principles of Stoic philosophy, and the practical applications for everyday life.
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When we encounter difficult situations, there are often things we can control and things we cannot. The Stoic approach to acceptance teaches us to focus on what we can control and accept what we cannot. This can help us to feel more at peace and in control of our emotions, even when faced with adversity.
The Latin phrase itself is ancient and ubiquitous enough that it’s origin is unknown and unknowable. However, it has an interesting modern history. The oldsters might not know this but there is a character in Sonic the Hedgehog named Deo Volente.
(via sonic.fandom.com)
Deo Volente is a character that appears in the Sonic the Hedgehog comic series and its spin-offs published by Archie Comics. He is one of the long-living members of the race of fire ants on the Floating Island, and the grandfather of Archimedes.
Description
Deo has carried on the family tradition of mentoring and standing by the current guardian of Angel Island. Deo is two hundred years old, has blue eyes, wears a green beret, green boots, a green and white striped vest, gold-topped walking stick and sports a white beard. Deo was a close friend to Knuckles‘ seventh-generation grandfather Hawking.
Congrats to Sonic for introducing Latin to the kids.
Informed about the translation and its meaning, Deo volente, I look forward to saying this in the future. I hope you are able to use it, too.
This is a common phrase in the Arab world (in Arabic, of course).
I did not know that, but it fits. It used to be a far more common phrase in English. If you hear it now, it often sounds over-dramatic.