# God helps those who help themselves

> English word · Proverb

## Definitions
1. Good fortune or providential aid comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things.

## Etymology
First appearing in English (in this form) in 1698, in Algernon Sidney's Discourses Concerning Government. Translation of a maxim found in Ancient Greek and Roman literature; equivalent proverbs are found in many languages, such as Hungarian and Italian.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/word/god-helps-those-who-help-themselves