God sends meat, and the devil sends cooks.
Meaning: Abundance means nothing without the wisdom to use it well; poor execution ruins good fortune.
Origin: Good food is a gift, but bad cooks ruin it. The saying first appears in Andrew Boorde's Dietary of Health (1542) and was popularized by the writer Thomas Deloney later in the 16th century.
Equivalents in Italian
- Italian: Dio ci manda la carne, ma il diavolo i cuochi (literally: God sends meat and the devil sends cooks)
More proverbs about Perseverance
- One God, no more; but friends good store. — Loyalty to one supreme authority prevents conflict, while cultivating many friendships cr…
- No man knows better what good is than he that has an endured evil. — Suffering teaches appreciation; adversity reveals the true value of comfort and peace.
- When good cheer is lacking our friends will be packing. — Fair-weather friends abandon you when prosperity fades and hardship arrives.
- Good counsel never comes too late. — Wisdom offered after a mistake still prevents future harm through learned experience.
- A good maxim is never out of season. — Wise principles remain valuable and applicable regardless of circumstances or timing.
- One can never have too much of a good thing. — Abundance of beneficial things—love, knowledge, health—enriches life without diminishment…