He that is born to be hanged shall never be drowned.
Meaning: Destiny determines how we meet our end; those fated for one doom escape all others.
Origin: An old fatalistic joke: if the gallows is your destiny, the sea cannot claim you first. Shakespeare builds a scene on it at the opening of The Tempest, where the old counselor Gonzalo takes comfort in a storm from the surly boatswain's face — "he hath no drowning mark upon him; his complexion is perfect gallows."
More proverbs about Perseverance
- Burn not your candle at both ends at once. — Depleting your resources simultaneously from opposite directions ensures swift exhaustion…
- I'll keep no more cats than will catch mice. — Maintaining only productive resources prevents waste and ensures efficiency in managing y…
- He that chastiseth one, amendeth many. — Disciplining a single person visibly teaches lessons to the broader community watching th…
- When children stand quiet they have done some harm. — Silence from mischievous youth signals they've committed wrongdoing requiring investigati…
- Have not the cloak to make when it begins to rain. — Preparation must precede need; waiting until weather turns cold leaves you exposed and un…
- It is good keeping his clothes who is going to swim. — Prudent preparation prevents loss; secure your valuables before undertaking risky venture…
From our tongue twisters
- She sells seashells by the seashore. — The definitive 's' versus 'sh' alternation — the tongue has to switch place of articulati…
- Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers. — A relentless 'p' plosive drill; a peck is an old dry measure of about nine litres.
- Unique New York. — Three words that jam the 'y/n/k' sequence together — repeat it and it collapses into 'you…