Live and let live is a proverb that is hundreds of years old. We will examine the meaning of the expression live and let live, where it came from and some examples of its use in sentences.
To live and let live means to be tolerant, to live one’s own life in the manner that he wishes and to allow the other fellow to live his life in the manner that he wishes. The philosophy of live and let live does not necessarily embrace or condone the differences of others, but it promotes accepting the differences of others without trying to change them. It is foolish to squander the time you have to live your life here on Earth by telling others how to live their own lives. Live your life to the fullest, working out your own success in life and how to live your best life so you will be the happiest that you can be. Live your life with a positive attitude, day after day, without negative thoughts. Wise men know that living life to the fullest without worrying about controlling others is the path to satisfaction. The phrase live and let live comes from the Dutch. It is found in the The Ancient Law-Merchant, a collection of commercial law compiled by G. De Malynes in 1622. This code of law was written by medieval merchants to govern trade throughout Europe, North Africa and Asia Minor. The first known instance of the phrase live and let live in English occurred in 1678, in A Compleat Collection of English Proverbs, by John Ray. The phrase live and let live is hyphenated when used as an adjective before a noun, as in live-and-let-live.
Examples
Caught between the prudence of a preemptive strike and the providence of “live and let live.” (The Press Herald)
When people say “live and let live” and in the end tyrants intervene and force the Chareidi community to act against its will time after time, it shows the hypocrisy of the system.” (The Yeshiva World)
“They don’t bother anyone — they have this wonderful live-and-let-live attitude: You stay away from me, I’ll stay away from you,” says Francine Prager, founder of Tampa Bay Bats, a bat rehab, release and education organization. (The Tampa Bay Times)