APAD: In the lap of the gods

Meaning:

Beyond human control

 

Background:

This phrase is first recorded in Homer's Iliad which is believed to date from

the 8th century BC.

 

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Man seeks to know what's within his power as reflected by the serenity prayer:

    God, grant me the

    Serenity to accept the things I cannot change,

    Courage to change the things I can,

    And wisdom to know the difference.

 

I suspect God has allowed the first two but withheld the third wish and I ended

up less sure of anything :-)

 

The 'lap' here means "An area of responsibility, interest, or control: an

opportunity that dropped in his lap." [AHD4]

所有跟帖： 

• A lot of things are beyond human control. -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 10:21:23

• 美語版越來越紅火，這應該是god應許了盈盈版主的！ -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 12:59:23

• 哈哈。托方兄吉言。高興大家在美壇一起玩，一起學。最近你是不是又出門跑馬拉鬆剛回來？：）） -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 13:38:06

• 隻是工作忙，不想分散注意力。 -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 13:48:03

• 了解。我最近兩周也很忙。到聖誕節附近就可以休假了。hurrah，hurrah ～～ -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 14:24:17

• +100086:)) -衛寧- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 16:03:12

• +100087 :)) -盈盈一笑間- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 16:22:01

• In the palm of Buddah Rulai -移花接木- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 10:30:55

• Yes, I believe too that god withdrew the 3rd wish! -方外居士- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 12:57:49

• Thks for introducing the new meaning of the word “lap“. -暖冬cool夏- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 13:00:39

• That meaning was NOT explicitly listed in the NOAD. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 13:22:04

• NOAD=New Oxford American Dictionary. -7grizzly- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 13:22:33

• 點讚！ -豆青- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 14:41:01

• In the lap of the gods ！learnt and understood now ! :)) -衛寧- ♂ (0 bytes) () 12/03/2023 postreply 16:05:00

• Got it. Thanks for sharing. -CBA7- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/04/2023 postreply 09:12:53

• Thanks for sharing. Learned something new. -天邊一片白雲- ♀ (0 bytes) () 12/04/2023 postreply 17:07:30