proverb · Words worth keeping
Fortune can take from us only what she has given us.
Fortune can take from us only what she has given us.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
A change in circumstances can remove benefits that depended on those circumstances. Distinguish an external advantage from the skills, relationships or values that may remain.
Example
After a role ends, someone considers which practical skills and supportive contacts remain while seeking help with the immediate loss of income.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Fortune is imagined as giving and taking away possessions or position. The saying draws a limit around that power, suggesting that what came from elsewhere may remain outside its reach. A practical reading asks which benefits depend on a particular arrangement and which resources may endure after it changes. That distinction can support preparation or perspective during loss. It must not minimise the real effects of losing income, safety or opportunity. External circumstances can also affect relationships and capabilities, so the boundary is an image for reflection rather than an assurance of complete independence.
When to use it
Use it to identify resources that may remain after a changed advantage.
Keep in mind
Real losses can be severe. Do not demand detachment from someone who needs material support or time to recover.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional (French-language collection)
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Date unknown