the best-laid plans of mice and men
even careful planning can fail
In Spanish
even careful planning can fail
Examples
- We rehearsed everything, but the best-laid plans of mice and men…
- Despite their careful preparations, the best-laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
- He worked for months on the project, but the best-laid plans of mice and men didn't guarantee success.
When it's used
This expression is used to convey that even the most careful plans can fail. It is a literary phrase from a Robert Burns poem and is used both in speech and writing, but with a more elevated or literary tone.
The common mistake
A common mistake is translating the Spanish 'el hombre propone y Dios dispone' directly into English, which results in a phrase that English speakers do not use. Another error is using it in casual, everyday situations where its poetic tone is out of place.
Related idioms
FROM WHAT YOU READ TO WHAT YOU SAY
Recognising it isn't the same as using it
Reading an idiom and understanding it is step one. Dropping it into a conversation, at the right moment, without stopping to think, is another — and that only comes from speaking.
Practise speaking→