“To err is human, to forgive divine”: meaning, origin and examples
What it means
The phrase suggests that making mistakes is a natural human trait, while forgiving others is a noble, divine quality.
Tone Reflective and philosophical
Where it comes from
The phrase is derived from Alexander Pope’s poem An Essay on Criticism, published in 1711.
Examples
- Remembering that ‘to err is human, to forgive divine,’ she chose to forgive her friend for the misunderstanding.
- When dealing with conflict, it’s important to keep in mind that to err is human, to forgive divine.
- He reminded himself that to err is human, to forgive divine, as he decided to let go of the past grievances.
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