Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.”
Vulgate, Job 1:21
What does “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit” mean?
Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit translates as “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.”
Job’s words of acceptance after losing everything: all we have is given and can be taken back. It is quoted in grief as an expression of faith and surrender.
“Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Dominus | the Lord | nominative singular (subject) of dominus, “lord, master”; here it renders the divine name |
| dedit | gave | third person singular perfect active indicative of do, “I give” |
| Dominus | the Lord | nominative singular (subject), repeated for emphasis |
| abstulit | took away | third person singular perfect active indicative of aufero, “I carry off, take away” |
How to pronounce “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit”
Classical gives a short i (DOH-mih-noos) and Church Latin a clearer ee (DOH-mee-noos). The stress is the same in both: first syllable of Dominus, first of dedit, second of abstulit.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “The Lord gave, the Lord took away”, with no “and” in the Latin; the English “and” is added for flow. It comes from the Vulgate, the Latin Bible translated by Jerome around 400 AD.
The words are spoken by Job in the Book of Job (1:21), just after he loses his livestock, his servants and his children in a single day. His answer is not anger but acceptance, and the verse continues “sit nomen Domini benedictum”, “blessed be the name of the Lord”.
The line is often said at funerals and in times of mourning, and it appears in many English Bibles in a similar form. It is sometimes spoken as one half of a pair, together with the blessing that follows it.
How to use “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit”
Suited to a sympathy card, a funeral program or a memorial inscription, where it voices acceptance of loss in a religious setting. It speaks of surrender rather than comfort, so it fits best with readers who share that faith.
- Latin
- Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit
- English
- The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away.
- Source
- Vulgate, Job 1:21
- Era
- Church Latin
- Theme
- Faith
Common mistakes
- The Latin has no “and”: the pairing Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit is a deliberate contrast, and the English “and” is only added in translation.
- Abstulit means “took away” and is not the same as “took”; the prefix ab- carries the sense of removal.
- Quoting only this half drops the second half of Job 1:21, “sit nomen Domini benedictum”, which turns the line from loss into praise.
Questions about “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit”
What does “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit” mean literally?
“The Lord gave, the Lord took away.” The Latin has no “and”, but English adds one to read smoothly.
Where does “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit” come from?
From the Vulgate, Job 1:21, where Job responds to losing his property and children.
How do you pronounce “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit”?
In Church Latin: DOH-mee-noos DEH-deet DOH-mee-noos ab-STOO-leet. Classical Latin differs only in the i vowels, which are short.
Is “Dominus dedit, Dominus abstulit” suitable for a funeral or a tattoo?
It is a traditional funeral line and correct Latin. For a tattoo, consider including “sit nomen Domini benedictum” so the phrase ends on praise.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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