The exact words
A poem about critics
Alexander Pope was barely 21 when he wrote An Essay on Criticism, and about 22 when it was published in 1711. It is a long poem in rhyming couplets giving advice on how to judge literature, and how not to. Pope mocks critics who are vain, pedantic, jealous or eager to tear others down, and he packs his advice into neat, memorable lines. More of them have become proverbs than almost any other English poem outside Shakespeare: “a little learning is a dangerous thing,” “fools rush in where angels fear to tread,” and this one.
The passage leading up to it describes the jealousy of writers and critics, who, having climbed to the top themselves, “employ their pains to spurn some others down.” Pope pleads with critics not to let the thirst for glory destroy their humanity: “Nor in the critic let the man be lost. / Good-nature and good-sense must ever join; / To err is human, to forgive, divine.”
What it means
The first half was already a proverb. The Latin saying “errare humanum est,” to err is human, goes back to an idea found in Roman writers such as Cicero. Pope’s addition makes it a full thought: making mistakes is simply what humans do, but forgiving mistakes is something higher, an act that resembles God. In context, the point is practical. A good critic should combine kindness with judgment and forgive the honest errors of writers instead of gloating over them.
The line soon broke free of its subject. Today it is used about every kind of mistake, from spilled coffee to broken trust, and it is often assumed to come from the Bible, which it does not.
How to use it
The line works well in a wedding toast, a speech about teamwork, or any apology. In writing, credit Pope and, if you have room, mention its original subject; the idea that it began as advice to critics is a good detail.
What people get wrong
A Bible verse.
It is from a 1711 poem by Alexander Pope, a 22-year-old poet writing about literary critics. Pope added “to forgive, divine” to an old Latin proverb.
Timeline
- Ancient RomeCicero writes that any man can make a mistake. The idea later becomes the Latin proverb “errare humanum est,” to err is human.
- 1709Pope, about 21, writes An Essay on Criticism, a verse treatise on good and bad criticism.
- 1711The poem is published anonymously. Part II includes the famous line.
- TodayThe line is quoted far beyond literature, about mistakes and forgiveness in everyday life.
Use it in a speech
Questions people ask
Is “To err is human, to forgive divine” from the Bible?
No. It comes from Alexander Pope's poem An Essay on Criticism, published in 1711.
What does it mean?
Making mistakes is part of being human, and forgiving them is a godlike act. Pope meant that critics should forgive writers' faults.
Where does “to err is human” come from?
It translates the Latin proverb “errare humanum est,” which was in use long before Pope. His addition was “to forgive, divine.”
Cite this quote
These cite the original source directly, so you can use them in an essay or paper. Always check your teacher's required style.