Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest
“It is a bad plan that cannot be changed.”
Publilius Syrus, Sententiae
What does “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest” mean?
Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest translates as “It is a bad plan that cannot be changed.”
A good plan leaves room to adjust; a plan that cannot adapt to new facts is a weak plan.
“Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Malum | bad, poor | neuter nominative singular of malus, “bad”; agrees with consilium and is the predicate: “is bad” |
| est | is | third person singular present indicative of sum, “I am” |
| consilium | plan, counsel | neuter nominative singular of consilium, “plan, advice”; the subject of the sentence |
| quod | which, that | neuter nominative singular relative pronoun, standing for consilium and subject of potest |
| mutari | to be changed | present passive infinitive of muto, “I change” |
| non | not | adverb of negation, negating potest |
| potest | can, is able | third person singular present indicative of possum, “I am able”; mutari completes its meaning |
How to pronounce “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest”
The two differ mainly in consilium: the c is hard (k) in Classical and ch in Church Latin only before e or i, so here it is an s-like sound in some Italianate schools but a k in the strict restored style.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “bad is the plan which cannot be changed”. The Latin puts malum first for emphasis, so the verdict comes before the thing being judged.
It is one of the one-line maxims of Publilius Syrus, a former slave who became a successful writer of mimes (short comic stage performances) in Rome in the 1st century BC. His sayings were later collected as the Sententiae, arranged alphabetically, and this line comes from that collection.
Because the maxims are short and easy to quote, they were used for centuries as schoolbook material and as a stock of ready proverbs. This one is still quoted in discussions of planning, strategy and leadership, where it is a standard argument for flexibility.
How to use “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest”
Suits a motto for a project, a workplace or a study desk, a card for someone facing a change of plans, or a quote in an essay on planning, adaptability or leadership. It also works as a tattoo for anyone who values flexibility over rigid control.
- Latin
- Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest
- English
- It is a bad plan that cannot be changed.
- Source
- Publilius Syrus, Sententiae
- Era
- Antiquity
- Theme
- Change
Common mistakes
- It does not say change is always good. It says a plan that cannot be changed at all is a poor one.
- Consilium means “plan, counsel, decision”, not “council”. The English word council comes from the related concilium.
- The infinitive mutari is passive (“to be changed”). Writing mutare would make it “to change” and alter the sense.
- Some quote websites drop the comma or reorder the words. The standard form keeps quod mutari non potest together at the end.
Questions about “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest”
What does “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest” mean literally?
“Bad is the plan which cannot be changed.” The usual English rendering is “It is a bad plan that cannot be changed.”
Who said “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest”?
Publilius Syrus, a Roman writer of mimes in the 1st century BC. The line comes from his collected Sententiae.
How do you pronounce “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest”?
In Classical Latin: MAH-loom EST kohn-SIH-lee-oom kwod moo-TAH-ree nohn POH-test. Church Latin is nearly the same.
Is “Malum est consilium, quod mutari non potest” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is a genuine line of Publilius Syrus and the grammar is sound. Copy it exactly, including the comma, and check the spelling with your artist.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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