Every man to his trade.

Meaning: Individuals excel when focusing on their own expertise rather than attempting unfamiliar work outside their competence.

Origin: Recorded from the late 16th century. Everyone should stick to what they know, an idea often linked to 1 Corinthians 7:20: "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called."

Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 4 more languages

French: À chacun son métier, et les vaches seront bien gardées (literally: To each his trade, and the cows will be well kept)
Spanish: Zapatero, a tus zapatos (literally: Shoemaker, to your shoes)
Japanese: 餅は餅屋 (Mochi wa mochiya) (literally: For rice cakes, go to the rice-cake maker)
German: Schuster, bleib bei deinem Leisten (literally: Cobbler, stick to your last)
Italian: Ognuno faccia il suo mestiere (literally: Let everyone do their own trade)
Portuguese: Cada macaco no seu galho (literally: Every monkey on its own branch)
Dutch: Schoenmaker, blijf bij je leest (literally: Cobbler, stick to your last)
Russian: Всяк сверчок знай свой шесток (Vsyak sverchok znay svoy shestok) (literally: Every cricket, know your own perch)
Polish: Pilnuj, szewcze, kopyta (literally: Mind your last, cobbler)

On the map

Stick to what you know

The same idea in 16 versions, colored by the picture each one uses. Each country shows the version in its main language.

World map: the cobbler’s last (German, Dutch, Polish, Spanish (Spain), Hungarian, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian); leave it to the baker (Turkish, Arabic, Japanese); in its own place (Portuguese (Brazil), Russian); each to their trade (English, French, Italian).

Download the full map with every saying (PNG)See all world maps

6 more languages on the map

Hungarian A cipész maradjon a kaptafánál“Let the shoemaker stay at his last”Source: Wiktionary; Paczolay, Hungarian proverb collection
Swedish Skomakare, bliv vid din läst“Shoemaker, stay at your last”Source: Dalin's Swedish dictionary (SAOL history); Wikipedia, Ne supra crepidam
Danish Skomager, bliv ved din læst“Shoemaker, stay at your last”Source: Lex (Danish encyclopedia); Videnskab.dk
Norwegian Skomaker, bli ved din lest“Shoemaker, stay at your last”Source: Bokmålsordboka (Ordbøkene, University of Bergen); Lex
Turkish Ekmeği ekmekçiye ver, bir ekmek de üste ver“Give the bread to the baker, and one more loaf on top”Source: Eğitim Sistem; NTV (Turkish proverb lists)
Arabic أعط الخبز لخبازه ولو أكل نصفه (Aʿṭi al-khubz li-khabbāzih wa-law akala niṣfah)“Give the bread to its baker, even if he eats half”Source: Al-Yaum (Saudi daily); Al-Kafeel forums