I am essentially searching for a well-wishing exclamation that does not imply divine intervention.
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4Try "good luck"– GusCommented Jan 7, 2014 at 18:23
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8Live long and prosper. \V/_– Canis LupusCommented Jan 7, 2014 at 18:28
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How about Success!?– bibCommented Jan 7, 2014 at 18:30
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1Go get 'em, tiger.– virmaiorCommented Jan 8, 2014 at 6:23
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1"Go get 'em, tiger." is intimate and informal. While it may be appropriate, it is a lazy, crude expression.– superAnnoyingUserCommented May 25, 2015 at 7:13
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7 Answers
"Goodbye" is derived from God be with you, as are many valedictions.
"Take care" is sort of threadbare.
"Farewell" seems antiquated.
"Bon Voyage" is great if you're French.
Be well, good fortune, until we meet again
I do like the Vulcan Valediction, live long and prosper.
Namaste is very respectful. It is spiritual, however; it can be interpreted (roughly) as a way of saying "Not-myself to you" (a benevolent expression of both respect and impersonality). It has some good karma to it.
May the road be downhill all the way to your door.
May your days be many and your troubles be few. May peace be within you may your heart be strong. May you find what you're seeking wherever you roam.”
May the road rise up to meet you, may the wind be ever at your back. May the sun shine warm upon your face and the rain fall softly on your fields, until we meet again
answered Jan 7, 2014 at 19:16
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2"May the road rise up to meet you" is nice, but full version ends with the words "...and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand". It's a religious blessing based on a prayer, so probably not what the OP is looking for.– toryanCommented Jan 7, 2014 at 20:08
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@toryan - the ending need bot be used. However, May... implies some beneficient force, so may not be appropriate anyway. Commented Jan 7, 2014 at 20:24
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1On the other hand, May the road rise up to meet you sounds like you're wishing that I fall flat on my face.– terdonCommented Jan 8, 2014 at 1:37
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1@terdon - lol, it does, doesn't it? Well, may the road be downhill all the way to your door, then, and may the path be dry. Commented Jan 8, 2014 at 1:39
There are many expressions of felicitations, to wish happiness, congratulations, longevity, success, or encouragement, that can be found in common use and that don't invoke a religious sentiment. I found this link, which seems to illustrate quite a few, some of which I quote here:
May you see your children's children.
May you be poor in misfortunes and rich in blessings.
May you know nothing but happiness from this day forward.
May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face, and rains fall soft upon your fields.
A common French expression that sometimes finds its way into English is bon courage, which might translate into keep a stiff upper lip, or hang in there, or simply you can do it.
Of course there is my half-joking comment above, which is live long and prosper. This, according to Phrase Finder originated as a Jewish religious blessing, but became more popular in Star Trek as the Vulcan salutation (along with the Vulcan hand salute.)
The same reference at Phrase Finder also equates this with the similar Hebrew phrase Shalom aleichem and the Arabic phrase Salaam alaykum that roughly translate to peace be upon you. This phrase was mentioned by others here.
As you can see, despite the fact that some of these phrases originated within a religious context, the words themselves, in many cases, are neutral toward religion.
Update
And in the same vein with the Star Trek reference, there is also may The Force be with you, which is an areligious Star Wars phrase probably borrowed from "may the Lord be with you". (Unless you subscribe to the notion that there is a religious cult aspect to The Force within the Star Wars universe.)
answered Jan 8, 2014 at 5:12
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The list you quote contains a lot of dereligified versions of biblical blessings (e.g. may you live to see your children's children Psa 128:6; shine upon your face is taken from Numbers 6:8). Don't know if that pleases the asker.– virmaiorCommented Jan 8, 2014 at 6:27
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I took a narrower interpretation of the OP's question. Since the OP is looking for phrases "that don't imply divine intervention", I think that doesn't rule out phrases that stand on their own (no divine intervention expressed or implied), even if they were, at some time, used in a religious context. But, yes, some atheists, for instance, may be more comfortable with some of my examples than with others. Commented Jan 8, 2014 at 6:36
"Good luck" seems the most straightforward, and it might be a good place to start searching online thesauri if it's not exactly what you're going for.
answered Jan 7, 2014 at 18:24
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In Pagan religions, good luck or fortune is also a religious invocation, as you are invoking a minor deity to give you the luck.– OldcatCommented Jan 7, 2014 at 22:43
Try, "Bon voyage!", "Peace be with you," "Farewell," or "Fare thee well." No divine intervention there. Also, "Good luck!" as mentioned by Kevin.
If you were a Spartan, "May you live forever," was actually the opposite, as the greatest glory a Spartan could achieve was dying in battle [1].
[1]: Source - 300
How about 'break a leg'. It is traditionally for actors and actresses but I've heard it used commonly.
A ambiguity in your question is what you mean by well-wishing. Deity-based well-wishing presumably involves wishing that the deity would grant that wish. Thus, a question is whether you want to continue well-wishing in some other way and to what end or whether you just mean to say I care about your success.
I've heard people with this concern who want to move away from well-wishing to warm sentiments say sending warm thoughts your way.
If you want to stick with your original sentiment, you could just say speed you! I don't know what it would mean, but you can do it.
British soldiers say good luck by saying;
Stay low, move fast.
