if the mountain won't come to Muhammad in English

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Etymology: An ellipsis (anapodoton) of the apocryphal phrase "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain," coined in a story by Francis Bacon. Details The earliest appearance of the phrase is from Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon, published in 1625: Mahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers, for the observers of his law. The people assembled; Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again; and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill. It was published in John Ray's 1670 book of English proverbs, The more complete reading of the essay makes it clear that Sir Francis Bacon meant the example to be disparaging, as he refers to “…mountebanks for the natural body, so are there mountebanks for the politic body…" in the context of his discussion “of boldness”, or what might be described in modern, political terms as brazening out a scandal or failure. Although the phrase is widely associated with Muhammad, the 6th-century prophet of Islam who lived in Arabia, there is no written or oral tradition tracing it back to him. There is, however, a phrase in Turkish—dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”)—that has no reference to Muhammad. (An alternative version can be found on the Turkish Wiktionary.) It is known as one of the atasözleri, or "common sayings", which exist in modern Turkish but are thought to have much older origins. The saying is also used in Slavic cultures, as evidenced by the Russian phrase "Если гора не идет к магомеду, значит магомед идет к горе" (see Translations below). Etymology templates: {{ellipsis|en|nocap=1}} ellipsis, {{m|tr||dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin…|if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain}} dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”), {{m|tr|atasözü|atasözleri}} atasözleri Head templates: {{head|en|proverb|head=}} if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, {{en-proverb}} if the mountain won't come to Muhammad

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{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "ellipsis",
      "name": "ellipsis"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "tr",
        "2": "",
        "3": "dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin…",
        "4": "if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain"
      },
      "expansion": "dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "tr",
        "2": "atasözü",
        "3": "atasözleri"
      },
      "expansion": "atasözleri",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "An ellipsis (anapodoton) of the apocryphal phrase \"if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain,\" coined in a story by Francis Bacon.\nDetails\nThe earliest appearance of the phrase is from Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon, published in 1625:\nMahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers, for the observers of his law. The people assembled; Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again; and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill.\nIt was published in John Ray's 1670 book of English proverbs, The more complete reading of the essay makes it clear that Sir Francis Bacon meant the example to be disparaging, as he refers to “…mountebanks for the natural body, so are there mountebanks for the politic body…\" in the context of his discussion “of boldness”, or what might be described in modern, political terms as brazening out a scandal or failure.\nAlthough the phrase is widely associated with Muhammad, the 6th-century prophet of Islam who lived in Arabia, there is no written or oral tradition tracing it back to him. There is, however, a phrase in Turkish—dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”)—that has no reference to Muhammad. (An alternative version can be found on the Turkish Wiktionary.) It is known as one of the atasözleri, or \"common sayings\", which exist in modern Turkish but are thought to have much older origins.\nThe saying is also used in Slavic cultures, as evidenced by the Russian phrase \"Если гора не идет к магомеду, значит магомед идет к горе\" (see Translations below).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English proverbs",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "English subordinate clauses",
          "parents": [],
          "source": "w"
        },
        {
          "kind": "other",
          "name": "Georgian terms with redundant script codes",
          "parents": [
            "Terms with redundant script codes",
            "Entry maintenance"
          ],
          "source": "w"
        }
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If something one wishes to be done cannot be commanded done, one must find another way to achieve one's goal."
      ],
      "id": "en-if_the_mountain_won't_come_to_Muhammad-en-proverb-deooS26s",
      "links": [
        [
          "command",
          "command"
        ]
      ],
      "synonyms": [
        {
          "word": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain"
        }
      ],
      "translations": [
        {
          "code": "ar",
          "lang": "Arabic",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "اذا لم يأتيك ما تريد، فلتسعى أليه"
        },
        {
          "code": "bg",
          "lang": "Bulgarian",
          "roman": "ako ne možeš da zaneseš planinata pri Mohamed, zavedi Mohamed pri planinata",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "ако не можеш да занесеш планината при Мохамед, заведи Мохамед при планината"
        },
        {
          "code": "cmn",
          "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
          "roman": "shān bù guò lái, wǒ jiù guò qù",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "山不过来，我就过去"
        },
        {
          "code": "cs",
          "lang": "Czech",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "když nejde hora k Mohamedovi, musí Mohamed k hoře"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "hvis bjerget ikke vil komme til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til bjerget"
        },
        {
          "code": "da",
          "lang": "Danish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "når bjerget ikke vil komme til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til bjerget"
        },
        {
          "code": "nl",
          "lang": "Dutch",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "als Mohammed niet naar de berg komt, moet de berg maar naar Mohammed"
        },
        {
          "code": "eo",
          "lang": "Esperanto",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "se la monto ne venas al Mohamedo, Mohamedo devas iri al monto"
        },
        {
          "code": "fi",
          "lang": "Finnish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "jos vuori ei tule Muhammedin luo"
        },
        {
          "code": "fr",
          "lang": "French",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "si la montagne ne va pas à toi, va à la montagne"
        },
        {
          "code": "ka",
          "lang": "Georgian",
          "roman": "tu muhamedi ar midis mtastan mašin mta midis muhamedtan",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "თუ მუჰამედი არ მიდის მთასთან მაშინ მთა მიდის მუჰამედთან"
        },
        {
          "code": "de",
          "lang": "German",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "wenn der Berg nicht zum Propheten kommt, muss der Prophet wohl zum Berge kommen"
        },
        {
          "code": "el",
          "lang": "Greek",
          "roman": "ótan den páei ston Moámeth to vounó, páei sto vounó o Moámeth",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "όταν δεν πάει στον Μωάμεθ το βουνό, πάει στο βουνό ο Μωάμεθ"
        },
        {
          "code": "he",
          "lang": "Hebrew",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "אם מוחמד לא יבוא אל ההר, יבוא ההר אל מוחמד"
        },
        {
          "code": "hu",
          "lang": "Hungarian",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "ha a hegy nem megy Mohamedhez, Mohamed megy a hegyhez"
        },
        {
          "code": "it",
          "lang": "Italian",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "se la montagna non va da Maometto, Maometto va alla montagna"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "산이 마호멧에게 오지 않겠다면"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "roman": "sani Mahomesege oji anketdamyeon, Mahomesi saneuro gayaman handa",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "마호멧이 산으로 가야만 한다"
        },
        {
          "code": "ko",
          "lang": "Korean",
          "note": "목마른 놈이 우물 판다 (mongmareun nomi umul panda, literally “a thirsty man digs a well”)",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it"
        },
        {
          "code": "nb",
          "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "når fjellet ikke kommer til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til fjellet"
        },
        {
          "code": "pl",
          "lang": "Polish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "nie chce góra przyjść do Mahometa, musi Mahomet przyjść do góry"
        },
        {
          "code": "pt",
          "lang": "Portuguese",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "se a montanha não vem a Maomé, Maomé vai à montanha"
        },
        {
          "code": "ro",
          "lang": "Romanian",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "dacă nu vine muntele la Mahomed, merge Mahomed la munte"
        },
        {
          "code": "ru",
          "lang": "Russian",
          "roman": "jésli gorá ne idjót k Magométu, to Magomét idjót k goré",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "е́сли гора́ не идёт к Магоме́ту, то Магоме́т идёт к горе́"
        },
        {
          "code": "sh",
          "lang": "Serbian",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "ако неће брег Мухамеду, хоће Мухамед брегу"
        },
        {
          "code": "sk",
          "lang": "Slovak",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "ak nepríde hora k Mohamedovi, príde Mohamed k hore"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "si la montaña no viene a Mahoma"
        },
        {
          "code": "es",
          "lang": "Spanish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "Mahoma va a la montaña"
        },
        {
          "code": "sv",
          "lang": "Swedish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "om berget inte kan komma till Muhammed, får Muhammed komma till berget"
        },
        {
          "code": "tr",
          "lang": "Turkish",
          "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
          "word": "dağ Muhammet’e gelmezse, Muhammet dağa gider"
        }
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Essays (Francis Bacon)",
        "Francis Bacon",
        "John Ray",
        "Muhammad"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "word": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad"
}

[Show JSON for raw wiktextract data ▼] [Hide JSON for raw wiktextract data ▲]

{
  "etymology_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "nocap": "1"
      },
      "expansion": "ellipsis",
      "name": "ellipsis"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "tr",
        "2": "",
        "3": "dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin…",
        "4": "if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain"
      },
      "expansion": "dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”)",
      "name": "m"
    },
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "tr",
        "2": "atasözü",
        "3": "atasözleri"
      },
      "expansion": "atasözleri",
      "name": "m"
    }
  ],
  "etymology_text": "An ellipsis (anapodoton) of the apocryphal phrase \"if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain,\" coined in a story by Francis Bacon.\nDetails\nThe earliest appearance of the phrase is from Chapter 12 of the Essays of Francis Bacon, published in 1625:\nMahomet made the people believe that he would call a hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his prayers, for the observers of his law. The people assembled; Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again; and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, but said, If the hill will not come to Mahomet, Mahomet will go to the hill.\nIt was published in John Ray's 1670 book of English proverbs, The more complete reading of the essay makes it clear that Sir Francis Bacon meant the example to be disparaging, as he refers to “…mountebanks for the natural body, so are there mountebanks for the politic body…\" in the context of his discussion “of boldness”, or what might be described in modern, political terms as brazening out a scandal or failure.\nAlthough the phrase is widely associated with Muhammad, the 6th-century prophet of Islam who lived in Arabia, there is no written or oral tradition tracing it back to him. There is, however, a phrase in Turkish—dağ sana gelmezse, sen dağa gideceksin… (“if the mountain won't come to you, you must go to the mountain”)—that has no reference to Muhammad. (An alternative version can be found on the Turkish Wiktionary.) It is known as one of the atasözleri, or \"common sayings\", which exist in modern Turkish but are thought to have much older origins.\nThe saying is also used in Slavic cultures, as evidenced by the Russian phrase \"Если гора не идет к магомеду, значит магомед идет к горе\" (see Translations below).",
  "head_templates": [
    {
      "args": {
        "1": "en",
        "2": "proverb",
        "head": ""
      },
      "expansion": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad",
      "name": "head"
    },
    {
      "args": {},
      "expansion": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad",
      "name": "en-proverb"
    }
  ],
  "lang": "English",
  "lang_code": "en",
  "pos": "proverb",
  "senses": [
    {
      "categories": [
        "English ellipses",
        "English lemmas",
        "English multiword terms",
        "English proverbs",
        "English subordinate clauses",
        "Georgian terms with redundant script codes"
      ],
      "glosses": [
        "If something one wishes to be done cannot be commanded done, one must find another way to achieve one's goal."
      ],
      "links": [
        [
          "command",
          "command"
        ]
      ],
      "wikipedia": [
        "Essays (Francis Bacon)",
        "Francis Bacon",
        "John Ray",
        "Muhammad"
      ]
    }
  ],
  "synonyms": [
    {
      "word": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad, then Muhammad must go to the mountain"
    }
  ],
  "translations": [
    {
      "code": "ar",
      "lang": "Arabic",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "اذا لم يأتيك ما تريد، فلتسعى أليه"
    },
    {
      "code": "bg",
      "lang": "Bulgarian",
      "roman": "ako ne možeš da zaneseš planinata pri Mohamed, zavedi Mohamed pri planinata",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "ако не можеш да занесеш планината при Мохамед, заведи Мохамед при планината"
    },
    {
      "code": "cmn",
      "lang": "Chinese Mandarin",
      "roman": "shān bù guò lái, wǒ jiù guò qù",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "山不过来，我就过去"
    },
    {
      "code": "cs",
      "lang": "Czech",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "když nejde hora k Mohamedovi, musí Mohamed k hoře"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "hvis bjerget ikke vil komme til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til bjerget"
    },
    {
      "code": "da",
      "lang": "Danish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "når bjerget ikke vil komme til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til bjerget"
    },
    {
      "code": "nl",
      "lang": "Dutch",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "als Mohammed niet naar de berg komt, moet de berg maar naar Mohammed"
    },
    {
      "code": "eo",
      "lang": "Esperanto",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "se la monto ne venas al Mohamedo, Mohamedo devas iri al monto"
    },
    {
      "code": "fi",
      "lang": "Finnish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "jos vuori ei tule Muhammedin luo"
    },
    {
      "code": "fr",
      "lang": "French",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "si la montagne ne va pas à toi, va à la montagne"
    },
    {
      "code": "ka",
      "lang": "Georgian",
      "roman": "tu muhamedi ar midis mtastan mašin mta midis muhamedtan",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "თუ მუჰამედი არ მიდის მთასთან მაშინ მთა მიდის მუჰამედთან"
    },
    {
      "code": "de",
      "lang": "German",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "wenn der Berg nicht zum Propheten kommt, muss der Prophet wohl zum Berge kommen"
    },
    {
      "code": "el",
      "lang": "Greek",
      "roman": "ótan den páei ston Moámeth to vounó, páei sto vounó o Moámeth",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "όταν δεν πάει στον Μωάμεθ το βουνό, πάει στο βουνό ο Μωάμεθ"
    },
    {
      "code": "he",
      "lang": "Hebrew",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "אם מוחמד לא יבוא אל ההר, יבוא ההר אל מוחמד"
    },
    {
      "code": "hu",
      "lang": "Hungarian",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "ha a hegy nem megy Mohamedhez, Mohamed megy a hegyhez"
    },
    {
      "code": "it",
      "lang": "Italian",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "se la montagna non va da Maometto, Maometto va alla montagna"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "산이 마호멧에게 오지 않겠다면"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "roman": "sani Mahomesege oji anketdamyeon, Mahomesi saneuro gayaman handa",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "마호멧이 산으로 가야만 한다"
    },
    {
      "code": "ko",
      "lang": "Korean",
      "note": "목마른 놈이 우물 판다 (mongmareun nomi umul panda, literally “a thirsty man digs a well”)",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it"
    },
    {
      "code": "nb",
      "lang": "Norwegian Bokmål",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "når fjellet ikke kommer til Muhammed, må Muhammed komme til fjellet"
    },
    {
      "code": "pl",
      "lang": "Polish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "nie chce góra przyjść do Mahometa, musi Mahomet przyjść do góry"
    },
    {
      "code": "pt",
      "lang": "Portuguese",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "se a montanha não vem a Maomé, Maomé vai à montanha"
    },
    {
      "code": "ro",
      "lang": "Romanian",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "dacă nu vine muntele la Mahomed, merge Mahomed la munte"
    },
    {
      "code": "ru",
      "lang": "Russian",
      "roman": "jésli gorá ne idjót k Magométu, to Magomét idjót k goré",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "е́сли гора́ не идёт к Магоме́ту, то Магоме́т идёт к горе́"
    },
    {
      "code": "sh",
      "lang": "Serbian",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "ако неће брег Мухамеду, хоће Мухамед брегу"
    },
    {
      "code": "sk",
      "lang": "Slovak",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "ak nepríde hora k Mohamedovi, príde Mohamed k hore"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "si la montaña no viene a Mahoma"
    },
    {
      "code": "es",
      "lang": "Spanish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "Mahoma va a la montaña"
    },
    {
      "code": "sv",
      "lang": "Swedish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "om berget inte kan komma till Muhammed, får Muhammed komma till berget"
    },
    {
      "code": "tr",
      "lang": "Turkish",
      "sense": "if one cannot get something done by commanding it",
      "word": "dağ Muhammet’e gelmezse, Muhammet dağa gider"
    }
  ],
  "word": "if the mountain won't come to Muhammad"
}

"if the mountain won't come to Muhammad" meaning in English

Proverb

Alternative forms