het geluk is met de dommen

Dutch

Etymology

Literally, “fortune is with the dumb”. Compare the same in German das Glück ist mit den Dummen alongside Gott ist mit den Dummen (“God is with the dumb”). Probably loosely based on Matthew 5:3: “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɦɛt xəˈlʏk ɪs mɛ(t) də ˈdɔmə(n)/

Phrase

het geluk is met de dommen

1. one seems to achieve something easier by luck, than through skill; it is better to be lucky than good

   Heb je het gehoord? Je collega heeft dat reuze-contract erdoor gekregen! — Het geluk is met de dommen...

   Have you heard? Your colleague nailed that huge contract! — Dumb people have all the luck...