SeiTT (asker) Dec 4, 2011:

If the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts... Ah, yes, the problem of evil. There are no easy answers so the best I can do is quote the following (from ‘Don't waste your Sorrows’ by Paul Billheimer):
http://www.thoughts.com/Aelfay/what-good

Space only allows a short quotation, but do check it out on the site – it's not long, and it's well worth it.

"Nothing that can come to one form any source can injure him unless it causes him to have a wrong attitude. It is ones response that blesses or burns."

"Amy Carmichael has said that the eternal essence of a thing is not the thing itself but one's reaction to it. The distressing situation will pass but one's reaction toward it will leave a moral and spiritual deposit in his character that is eternal. This being true, then all that God permits to come to one must be working for his good unless he allows it to separate him from God. 'The only real calamity in life is to loose one's faith in God' (Maclaren)."

It is the Devil, not God, who does the things you discuss; God allows it because He uses such things to bring about supreme, all-surpassing good.

I.e. what doesn't kill you makes you stronger – and those who accept Christ’s atonement have no reason to fear death.

Edward Plaisance Jr Dec 3, 2011:

every so often... this would fit equally well, I think...from the story I can imagine God stopping what he has been doing every now and then, and saying to Himself, "Let's see, it's about time we annoy so-and-so again." :)

SeiTT (asker) Dec 3, 2011:

The reason why 'every so often' seems good to me is that by definition it is totally neutral as to frequency. How often? So often! A bit like, "How long is a piece of string?" "So long!" The "so" is like the x in an algebraic equation.

Edward Plaisance Jr Dec 3, 2011:

comment... We could use several of these expressions to translate the Persian...pretty much all have the same meaning...nothing absolute intended in the frequency..."every now and then" could be once a month, once a year, depending on what we are talking about, for example supernovas happen every now and then meaning thousands and thousands of years apart.

However, in this context, the "most English-sounding" usage (to me) is "every now and then"

"as often as not" means 50% of the time, yes, 50% no
"more often than not" means more than 50% of the time, yes

Ahmad Kabiri Dec 3, 2011:

Disagree! I do not agree with using "as often as not" and "more often than not". Meaning "most of the time", they clearly have a higher frequency than هر چند وقت یکبار, and should be translated as اکثر اوقات, بیشتر وقت ها, and somethings like these (of course, in my view!).

Mohammad Emami Dec 3, 2011:

You are Right Yes, there is an important difference here about the frequency. You'd better use either of these: 'As often as not', 'More often than not', and of course, 'Every so often'.

Ahmad Kabiri Dec 3, 2011:

I wonder if I've got your right, but the expression doesn't determine the frequency of incidence. The expression هر از چندگاهی is also a synonym of it, but a bit more formal. In everyday use, هر چند وقت یکبار is used more than the other one.

SeiTT (asker) Dec 3, 2011:

It depends I take your point, but I still need your guidance. :) Let me ask you this: is this expression completely neutral as regards frequency? One of your answers suggests infrequency (occasionally).

Mahmood Haerian-Ardakani Dec 3, 2011:

Good writing is not everybody's job.
نه هر که کله کج نهاد و تند نشست کلاه داری و آئین سروری داند
حافظ

Ahmad Kabiri Dec 3, 2011:

YOU are a native of English, so YOU have to decide which one springs to mind! They are all synonyms. Yours is also nice. Thanks!

SeiTT (asker) Dec 3, 2011:

Every so often? Many thanks - somehow "every so often" springs to mind - do you agree?