MAN PROPOSES BUT GOD DISPOSES
This Proverb statement tells that whatever man proposes as his objective to achieve by exercising his will power, efforts and intellectual potentialities, there is a limit to his abilities and there is some supernatural power – God - to determine the shape of things and its end. Sometimes or most of the times the end may be against man's proposal.
People very often use this statement during their conversation. Man can place before himself a lofty objective and can strive hard to achieve it by putting forth all his efforts and other possibilities. But there is a limit to man’s abilities. It has been well said. There is a supernatural power that determines the shape of things and that power. God shapes the end of our objective too. Man can only propose to achieve something and toil himself towards the achievement. Even the achievement itself is not in his hands. Of course the ancient Greek critic - Heraclites - says, "Man is the architect of his destiny".
Shakespeare, in his tragedy plays too, does not bring in fate or God as a power determining the shape of things. He introduces the clement of chances that turns the course of the play. Anyhow, there is some power which shapes the end and so it is very apt to say - Man proposes God disposes.