[Wikipedia-l] [FR 07] Fundraiser 2007 - Responsiveness ofCommunity

[Ray Saintonge]

Mark Clements wrote:
> "Thomas Dalton" wrote
>   
>> On 17/09/2007, Mark Clements wrote:
>>     
>>> "Sabine Cretella" wrote
>>> ... don't know if this translation of a saying is
>>>       
>>>> correct in English: when the prophet does not come to the mountain,
>>>> take the mountain to the prophet ... have a great Sunday!
>>>>
>>>>         
>>> Pretty close.  In English it is "If the mountain won't come to Mohammed,
>>> Mohammed must go to the mountain".
>>>       
>> Almost... try it the other way around. ;)
>>     
>
> A common misconception...
>
> IF THE MOUNTAIN WILL NOT COME TO MOHAMMED, MOHAMMED WILL GO TO THE
> MOUNTAIN - "If one cannot get one's own way, one must adjust to the
> inevitable. The legend goes that when the founder of Islam was asked to give
> proofs of his teaching, he ordered Mount Safa to come to him. When the
> mountain did not comply, Mohammed raised his hands toward heaven and said,
> 'God is merciful. Had it obeyed my words, it would have fallen on us to our
> destruction. I will therefore go to the mountain and thank God that he has
> had mercy on a stiff-necked generation.' The saying has been traced back in
> English to 'Essays,' (1625) by English philosopher Frances Bacon
> (1561-1626). It was included in John Ray's book of English proverbs in 1678.
> First attested in the United States in 'Jonathan Belcher Papers' (1733). In
> German, the phrase translates as 'Wenn der Berg nicht zum Propheten kommt,
> mu?der Prophetzum Berg kommen." From "Random House Dictionary of Popular
> Proverbs and Sayings" (1996) by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York,
> 1996).
Thank you!

It's not often that someone on this list bursts popular bubbles with 
real research.  Still, an NPOV fanatic could still insist that both 
readings should be given equal weight, historical background 
notwithstanding. :-)

Ec