всё, что не делается, всё к лучшему

[wondershot.livejournal.com]

Dear lovely Russian forum,

A friend of mine has used the expression "всё, что не делается, всё к лучшему". She translates it as "Everything that's done is done for good." Is this how you would translate it? What situations would you use it in?

It sounds kind of beautiful in that good, depressing Russian way.

Comments

[pinky-the-cow.livejournal.com]

I'd say it was the friend of OP was the one confusing "не" with "ни". And the OP just copied it.

I mean it, it probably has to do with the way they learn the language. Instead of grasping the logic and toying with that sort of tiny changes which makes big differences, they try to memorize the set of rules. Never understood it, it's harder in every way.

In this particular case my brave little theory would be based on possible other rules interposing in the way of the person's judgement. :) Like, oh, yeah, I must remember properly that "«не» с глаголами пишется раздельно" ("ne" is always separate from the verbs).
A few more rules for other parts and person's mind overloads, forgetting the critical error, the rule being used as a bizzarre justification of choosing "не".

Some parts of the language are taught less intensively, with less of those slogans and mnemonics, and the result is pitiful.
You can't go wrong, once you realize and come to appreciate the fact, that you can use both of the structures: with "ни" and with "не" — to convey certain, yet different sense.

"Что бы ты не говорил" — the next moment you see this, an error is obvious. A person who types that could've made one of the three mistakes. Because in this form the sentence is a mess.
1. Чтобы ты не говорил. ("Чтобы ты ни говорил" is wrong) = In order for you not to speak.// Poor "Чтобы/что бы" is next to impossible for so many of random teenagers.
2. Что бы ты ни говорил. = Whatever you said.// This whole sentence can be considered a big equivalent of a noun.
3. Что бы ты ни не говорил. = ~Whatever you haven't been saying.// My friend's native is Russian, yet even he hates multiple negativities. Yet I'm pretty fond of them. :)
And piles of "ни не"s (Ни не есть конфет до обеда, ни не возвращаться домой после шести — родители не ставили никаких условий) or "не ни"s (Не «ни рыба, ни мясо», а вполне нормальнй человек.). ^_^

[pinky-the-cow.livejournal.com]

typo: нормальный*