Chance is perhaps the pseudonym of God when he did not want to sign.

Anatole France’s aphorism plays on the tension between providence and randomness. By calling “chance” a “pseudonym of God,” it suggests that events we label accidental may conceal patterns, causes, or a providential order that remains unreadable to us. The second clause—God not wanting to “sign”—adds irony: if there is a divine hand, it often operates without clear attribution, leaving humans to experience outcomes as contingency. The line can be read both as a skeptical jab at theological explanations (chance as a convenient alias) and as a metaphysical consolation (apparent chaos may still be meaningful). Its wit lies in treating metaphysics like authorship and anonymity.

“Chance is the pseudonym God uses when He doesn’t want to sign His name.”
“Chance is perhaps the pseudonym of God when He does not wish to sign.”
“Chance is the pseudonym of God when he doesn’t want to sign.”