What does "Be what will be." Origin of the phrase

"Be what will be" is a rather common phrase, firmly rooted in everyday life. Meanwhile, few people think about its origin. What does it mean "What will be"? If you start looking for information on this issue, it will be difficult to find any one clear definition. Where are the roots of this famous phrase? It is attributed to completely different sources. And more fully it sounds like "Do what you must - and be, that will be!". So what is the origin of the expression "What will be"? The meaning and origin of the phrase try to disclose in this article. Let's consider all possible variants of answers to these questions.

Option one: The Bible

What does it mean "What will be"? Maybe they say that in the hope of God? This phrase is attributed to the Latin translation of the Bible. A more precise expression is "Do what is right, and what happens is what will happen." These words refer to Abraham (Genesis 22: 1-19), when God demanded from him the sacrifice of his own son. Abraham hesitated, but received this expression in return.

Option two: "Karma Yoga"

Another source is the Bhagavad Gita, on which Karma Yoga is based. Phraseologism expresses the general content of the Bhagavad Gita, which is an excerpt from the great philosophical work "Mahabharata." Prehistory of the appearance of the expression is Krishna's explanation to the protagonist Prince Arjun of the need to reconcile with what is happening and not to resist the coming changes. This beautiful legend became the basis of the philosophical principles of the whole teaching of yoga in general, and "Karma Yoga" in particular.

Option three: the knight's motto

Attribute this phrase to the knights. There is an opinion that it was an additional motto of the Order of the Knights Templar, in addition to the main "Not for us, Lord, not for us, all for the glory of Your name." This assumption seems quite real, since all the activities of this order were carried out in glory of the name of the Lord, that is, the future knights saw only what it should be, and did not allow the possibility of changing the intended.

Option Four: Writer's Fiction

What does it mean "What will be"? Maybe the phraseology came from the writer's pen? The origin of this phrase and the beautiful expression invented by the author of the legends about King Arthur, Sir Thomas Malory, is assumed . This was the chivalric motto of his characters. In the popular revolution, the expression came at the end of the era of European chivalry.

Option five: French folklore

Some believe that the expression became popular due to an old French song, in which there was a line with this expression. Hence, the expression does not have a Latin original.

The French origin of the expression can also be indicated by the work of Leo Tolstoy. His favorite French proverb was "Do what it should, come what may." It is these words that complete the writer's diary, written by him in Astapovo, on his deathbed. In the Russian translation this phrase is associated with the name of the great Russian writer.

Option Six: Roman Legionnaires

Roman legionaries in the fourth century followed the principle of "Do what is right, and whatever comes." This was not just their motto, but the whole philosophy of life. If you look for a more accurate definition of the author, then this is considered to be Marcus Aurelius, Roman emperor and great commander. He was famous among the people of Rome as a wise and kind ruler. All his life he tried to go with the flow, using current circumstances and not trying to act against fate. Still sounded this option: "And whatever happens will be so necessary."

Option Seventh: Samurai

"Whatever will be" is a phraseology, which is often recalled in all the teachings of the samurai. If you briefly explain the principles of "Bushido", then it is humility before the circumstances and the fulfillment of duty will be his main idea. And although the Samurai phrase "Whatever will be" is not used in literal translation, we can assume that it appeared as a result of the spread of the teachings of Japanese soldiers among foreign cultures.

The phrase "Be what will be" in different languages

What does it mean "What will be"? Despite the fact that the true author of this expression is difficult to find and, most likely, simply impossible, it is present in a variety of world cultures. Although the verbal sounding of the expression may vary, its semantic content is almost the same. This is how the expression sounds in different languages of the world:

In Latin: Fac officium, Deus providedbit - "Do your duty, and God will provide you."

In English: Do your duty, come what may - "Do what's right, and everything will happen", or Use the means, and God will give the blessing - "Use all means, and the Creator will bless."

An American will say: Do your duty, come what may - "Do your duty, and let everything be."

In German: Tu 'deine Pflicht! Gott wird schon sorgen - "It's your duty, and only the due will happen."

Culturology of expression

The prevalence of the well-known phraseology around the world is quite understandable. "Whether that be" meaning for each person can have different. Since the foundation of the world, for many centuries people in different parts of the world have been thinking independently of each other, but over similar issues. Despite the fact that these thinkers shared not only the distances, but entire epochs, the ideas that worried humanity were approximately the same. Thus, since different people were worried about the same question, as a result they received similar answers. This can explain the presence of expression in different languages and cultures.

Etymology of the phrase

How to understand "What will be"? It is worth mentioning the etymology of expression, or rather, the culture of translation. Mankind has not lived in separate groups for a long time. Cultures of different peoples are closely intertwined, and it is already difficult to determine who originally owned this or that expression. A huge number of translators are working on enriching literary funds. However, few of them translate verbatim.

How to understand "What will be" in other countries of the world? Most texts translated from other languages are adapted to end users. That is, it is quite natural that an interpreter who meets a foreign language in a foreign language, similar to the generally accepted expression in his language, uses the latter. Hence the different verbal sounding of the expression in different languages becomes clear, that is, the same ideas in the translation process can be expressed in different words.

As a result…

"Whatever will be" is a phraseology with a rather vague origin. It is so deeply rooted in history that its appearance is covered with a dense veil of mystery. Perhaps the phrase came to us from the Bible or inherited from the knights or followers of samurai doctrine, perhaps it was invented by a very specific person, Marcus Aurelius or Thomas Malory. For example, Sofya Kovalevskaya signed the motto "Tell what you think, do what is obliged, and come what may!". Now this is not so important. The main thing is that the meaning of expression is still relevant today.

The phrase predetermines reasonable questions: "How to act?" And "Is it worth the attention?" The answer is determined by the expression itself: your actions are now correct - act, the goal is everything around. That is, the phraseology is filled with a philosophical attitude to life: it is necessary to accept reality and not to exert any resistance, to go with the flow. In order for life to work out as it should, you just have to do your duty.

What does it mean "What will be"? The definition should be clear to everyone, but the version of origin - everyone will choose one that he likes more.