"To err is human": the origin and meaning of the aphorism

2024 Author: Henry Conors | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-12 02:41

We've all heard the rather famous expression: "People make mistakes." It is difficult to disagree with him, because there is no person on Earth who has never made a mistake in his life. Where did this expression come from, who is its author? The origins of this aphorism go back to the distant past. Let's try to understand the history of this phrase and its meaning.

Origin of the aphorism

It is not possible to establish the specific author of this saying. This expression has been actively used since ancient times. Greek poet Theognis, who lived and worked 500 BC. e., expressed an idea that is a prototype of this expression. In his opinion, if you get angry at every mistake of friends, it will be impossible to maintain warm friendly relations with anyone. And all because "mistakes between mortals are inevitable." Later, a similar expression was repeated in various versions. The Greek playwright Euripides said this: "All people tend to err." And the Greek orator Demosthenes argued that only the gods are capable of not making mistakes. Mark Annei Seneca - a Roman rhetorician - also uttered this phrase, which he sounded like this: "To err is human." This is the wording that has become the most common.

The phrase "to err is human" in Latin

Practically in all countries of the world it is customary to use some popular expressions in Latin. Latin words and phrases have become firmly established in everyday life in our country. Some expressions are so firmly entrenched in our speech that sometimes we don’t even think about where they were borrowed from. For example, such phrases are very often used: persona non grata (unwanted person), carpe diem (seize the moment) and others.

How would the phrase "it is human to err" sound in Latin? In Latin, the saying is pronounced like this: Errare humanum est. Knowing how a common expression sounds in a given language, you can express yourself more original, demonstrating your erudition to others. The expression "it is human to err" in Latin from your lips will sound more significant than in your native language.

The meaning of the aphorism

What is the meaning of the phrase "to err is human"? Who said that people are sinless? Not at all, sooner or later we all make certain mistakes in our lives, which can be both small and insignificant, and sometimesfatal.

Given this fact, it is necessary to be tolerant of other people's mistakes. The saying teaches us tolerance and condescension to other people's mistakes, because sooner or later we will also find ourselves in the place of the one who stumbled. If we do not forgive other people's faults, we will never be able to build close relationships with either friends or relatives. And in the end, we ourselves will be unhappy from this. Forgiveness is a great gift.

But not everyone, unfortunately, has it. Broken ties, broken families, lost friendships are all the result of the inability to justify other people's human weaknesses in their own eyes. Unfortunately, it is human nature to easily find an excuse for oneself, and it is very difficult for the misdeeds of others.

When does the phrase "people tend to err" sound

This aphorism is pronounced in those cases when it is necessary to explain the reason for any mistake of a person. However, it often happens that people hide behind this phrase, attributing their unwillingness or inability to the fact that we are all not without sin. Of course, everyone has the right to miss, however, if a person does not strive to conscientiously fulfill his duties - in work or in any other area of \u200b\u200blife, this phrase does not justify him at all. You can't blame everything on your imperfection and go with the flow without making any effort to progress, develop and change for the better.

Yes, indeed, every person makes mistakes, but it is always necessary to strive to ensure that there are as few of these mistakes in life as possible.

Similar sayings

In addition to the aphorism “people tend to make mistakes”, there are many more sayings similar in meaning. For example: "I am a man, and nothing human is alien to me." Or: “You can’t save your mind for every hour.” They all have roughly the same essence.

Mark Cicero supplemented the phrase about the property of a person to make mistakes, and in his interpretation it sounds like this: “It is human nature to err, and a fool to insist on his mistake.” By this he meant that only smart people are able to admit their mistakes and correct them as much as possible. Fools will persist and think they are right no matter what. Accordingly, without admitting their mistakes, such people will make them again and again.

Conclusion

Each person is prone to make mistakes - and this is a fact. It's not so bad to make a mistake as not to realize it. The one who works on himself, and does not consider other people's sins, is able to achieve a lot in life. Conversely, people who justify their failures by saying that someone else has more of them are unlikely to be lucky and successful. At the same time, one must be more tolerant of the shortcomings of others. If people do not commit bad deeds consciously, but only due to their imprudence, then you should not judge them too harshly. Ideal people do not exist - we all can stumble sooner or later. The main thing is to understand in time what is the reason for our failures, to draw the right conclusions and “producetroubleshooting. Only in this case, our mistakes will serve us well - they will give invaluable experience that will help us achieve success in life.