Этимологический словарь сообщил:
"devise
early 13c., "to form, fashion;" c.1300, "to plan, contrive," from O.Fr. deviser "dispose in portions, arrange, plan, contrive" (in modern French, "to chat, gossip"), from V.L. *divisare, frequentative of L. dividere "to divide" (see divide). Modern sense is from "to arrange a division" (especially via a will), a meaning present in the Old French word. Related: Devised; devising."
То есть devise и divide - однокоренные.
А теперь о грустном: девиз-то по-английски - motto... А немецкого или французского я не знаю.