Charity begins at home
Meaning: Take care of your own family before helping others.
Origin: The phrase took its modern shape in Sir Thomas Browne's Religio Medici (1642): "Charity begins at home, is the voice of the world." Browne was quoting common opinion rather than endorsing it. The underlying idea — that duty to one's own family comes first — goes back to 1 Timothy 5:8.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Charité bien ordonnée commence par soi-même (literally: Well-ordered charity begins with oneself)
- Spanish: La caridad bien entendida empieza por uno mismo (literally: Well-understood charity begins with oneself)
- Japanese: 慈善は家庭から始まる (Jizen wa katei kara hajimaru) (literally: Charity begins at home)
- German: Jeder ist sich selbst der Nächste (literally: Everyone is his own nearest neighbour)
More proverbs about Morality
- Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — Don't question the value of a gift.
- If the shoe fits, wear it — Accept criticism that accurately applies to you.
- The fish rots from the head down — Problems in an organization or society start at the top, with its leaders.
- The axe forgets, but the tree remembers — Those who cause harm often forget quickly, while those who suffer carry the wound far lon…
- A house divided against itself cannot stand — Internal conflict destroys an organization from within; unity is essential for survival.
- Judge not, lest ye be judged — We should refrain from judging others because we ourselves are imperfect.
From our false friends
- Firma — Actually means 'signature'. Metti la tua firma = Put your signature here.
- Magazzino — Actually means 'warehouse' or 'storeroom'. A magazine (periodical) is una rivista.
- Conveniente — Actually means 'affordable', 'good value', or 'suitable'. È conveniente = It's a good dea…