proverb · Legacy record
When men speak of the future, the gods laugh.
When men speak of the future, the gods laugh.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The gods laughing at human talk of the future pictures plans or predictions exceeding human certainty. It gives future confidence an ironic religious contrast.
What the words are saying
The laughter image can suggest the gap between intention and what happens, without proving a divine reaction or a particular theology. The supplied gloss asserts divine knowledge; a qualified editorial reading identifies that as a viewpoint rather than verified fact. Planning can still be useful despite uncertainty.
Everyday example
Someone makes a plan while acknowledging that its outcome remains uncertain and may require revision.
When to use it
Use it to discuss human forecasts with the religious image explained as an assertion.
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What it does not mean
No supernatural response or reason to abandon all planning is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 922; PDF page 129
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.