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Charity begins at home

Meaning: Take care of your own family before helping others.

Origin: English proverb from John Wycliffe's writings in 1380.

Translations

  • 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)

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.

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