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to err is human; to forgive, divine

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

English

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Etymology

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An extended form of earlier to err is human (a calque of Latin errāre hūmānum est) from the poem An Essay on Criticism (written in 1709, published in 1711) by Alexander Pope;[1] see quotation.

Proverb

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to err is human; to forgive, divine

  1. Extended form of to err is human
    • 1711 May, [Alexander Pope], An Essay on Criticism, London: [] W[illiam] Lewis []; and sold by W[illiam] Taylor [], T[homas] Osborn[e] [], and J[ohn] Graves [], →OCLC, page 30:
      Now thoſe that reach Parnaſſus’ lofty Crown, / Employ their Pains to ſpurn ſome others down; / And while Self-Love each jealous Writer rules, / Contending Wits become the Sport of Fools: / But ſtill the Worſt with moſt Regret commend, / And each Ill Author is as bad a Friend. / To what baſe Ends, and by what abject Ways, / Are Mortals urg’d by Sacred Luſt of Praiſe? / Ah ne’er ſo dire a Thirſt of Glory boaſt, / Nor in the Critick let the Man be loſt! / Good-Nature and Good-Senſe muſt ever join; / To Err is Humane; to Forgive, Divine.

References

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  1. ^ To err is human, to forgive divine”, in Dictionary.com Unabridged, Dictionary.com, LLC, 1995–present.