Min Minh
2020-11-15 11:11
What the eye doesn't see (the heart doesn't grieve over) proverb
Frequently, people tend to shorten the phrase into What the eye doesn't see but the meaning is still ensured.
Hannah's bad manner is secretly bathmouthing everyone she doesn't like. Maybe she thinks " What the eye doesn't see.." so she won't stop.
Ricky broke his mom treasured vase and he turned the broken side toward the wall. " What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve", he thinks.
what is the matter if i eat his snack while he is away? what the eye doesn't see...!
If you're unaware of an unpleasant fact or situation you can't be troubled by it.
It is said that couples after breaking up should not keep in touch with each other. Just because what the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve in order not to disturb each other private life.
To encounter bad luck, or being picked doing something undesirable
This idiom is often used to express that you should accept an unpleasant situation or event because you cannot change it.
This proverb can be used at any positions in the sentence. However, make sure that we use it the correct context.
It may be impossible to find the first mention of this old proverb; however, there are some evidences for the starting of it.
Based on the research of INKYN DE WORDE, one of the first person who is recorded to use the proverb is Bernard of Clairvaus (1090 - 1153) was a French monk, a member of the Cistercian order, and is regarded as a Doctor of the Church. He was a monastic reformer, a theologian, philosopher, charismatic preacher and instigator of the Second Crusade.
In the 12th century, in a series of sermons preached for the feast of All Saints. Bernard talks about the veneration of saints. He talks about saints in heaven, and those on earth, those known and unknown. He says that the saints on earth cannot be venerated – or given praise – because the course of their lives is not yet run, but that those saints who have died and are in heaven should be venerated. He is quite clear that that veneration is not because the saints need to be venerated – they are already in heaven – but that people on earth should venerate them. Then comes our proverb. Bernard says that,
vulgo dicitur: Quod non videt oculus cor non dolet
that is, “it is commonly said, that what the eye does not see, the heart does not grieve for” but although he has not seen with his eyes the saints who have died, he has seen them in memory, in his reflection upon them. This ‘seeing’ with the eyes of the mind has given him a desire to imitate the saints, and to join them in heaven.
As you can see from Bernard’s words, even at the time he was writing it was a common proverb, and he just repeated it.
Do you see anything wrong?
Clear
