- English translation
We get by on each day's livelihood as it comes, and what falls to us is God's to decide.
- Literal wording
Provision of a day by a day, and the allotted share is upon God.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying describes a life lived on whatever each day brings, with nothing put aside. What comes in today is spent today, so there is no reserve, and tomorrow's needs rest on tomorrow's God-given provision rather than on income alone.
It also treats this uncertainty as a matter of trust. Each person's share is understood as a divinely allotted portion, measured out and sent by God, so the speaker accepts the lack of security and leaves the future in divine hands.
- When it is used
Fits someone of modest means explaining why nothing is saved, or easing worry about what lies ahead. It can sound accepting and devout rather than bitter, though tone depends on the speaker.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: We get by on each day's livelihood as it comes, and what falls to us is God's to decide.