Man proposes, God disposes. ~~謀事在人，成事在天~~

Meaning: Human beings can make any plans they want, but it's God that decides their success or failure.

Note: Man (noun) = human beings in general | propose (verb) = suggest; put forward (an idea or plan) | dispose (verb) = decide what happens [mainly poetic] | Also seen as: "Man proposes, but God disposes."

Origin: This proverb is a translation from "The Imitation of Christ" by the German-

born Thomas à Kempis (c.1380-1471): "For the resolutions of the just depend rather

on the grace of God than on their own wisdom; and in Him they always put their

trust, whatever they take in hand. For man proposes, but God disposes; neither is

the way of man in his own hands." This may be a reflection of a verse in the Bible

(Proverbs 16:9): "A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps."

Shakespeare, too, had a similar message in Hamlet by Hamlet: "There is a divinity

that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will."

<Information from--EnglishClub.com--http://www.englishclub.com/ref/esl/Sayings/Quizzes/Mixed_7/Man_proposes_God_disposes_915.htm>

Thanks for sharing!!