"In the midst of life, we are in death"

English translation: it's biblical and means roughy that during our lifetime we are surrounded by death (that of others)

10:28 Aug 10, 2006

English language (monolingual) [PRO]
Art/Literary - Other

English term or phrase: "In the midst of life, we are in death"

It's a book about murder and the person who say this is a Policeman at the crime scene. He just said it with his subordinate when he arrived at the crime scene

"In the midst of life, we are in death" -- What does it mean? Is it a quote from somewhere?

Buttercup

Selected answer:it's biblical and means roughy that during our lifetime we are surrounded by death (that of others)

Explanation:
Quotation #37285 from Classic Quotes:. In the midst of life we are in death. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. ...
www.quotationspage.com/quote/37285.html -

Selected response from:

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 03:44

Grading comment

thank you very much indeed
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer

SUMMARY OF ALL EXPLANATIONS PROVIDED

4 +2

it's biblical and means roughy that during our lifetime we are surrounded by death (that of others)

CMJ_Trans (X)

4 +1

From the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer

Armorel Young

Answers

7 mins confidence:

peer agreement (net): +2

it's biblical and means roughy that during our lifetime we are surrounded by death (that of others)

Explanation:
Quotation #37285 from Classic Quotes:. In the midst of life we are in death. Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust. ...
www.quotationspage.com/quote/37285.html -

CMJ_Trans (X)
Local time: 03:44
Native speaker of:

English
PRO pts in category: 48

Grading comment

thank you very much indeed

1 hr confidence:

peer agreement (net): +1

From the funeral service in the Book of Common Prayer

Explanation:
It's from the Order for the Burial of the Dead in the Book of Common Prayer, and is said at the graveside.

Man that is born of a woman hath but a short time to live, and is full of misery. He cometh up, and is cut down, like a flower; he fleeth as it were a shadow, and never continueth in one stay.
In the midst of life we are in death: of whom may we seek for succour, but of thee, O Lord, who for our sins art justly displeased?

The well-known "earth to earth" bit doesn't follow directly on from this, as CMJ_Trans implies in his quotation - that comes in the next prayer when the coffin is lowered into the ground.

Armorel Young
Local time: 02:44
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 44

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