ProverbMoralityTurkish origin

İğneyi kendine, çuvaldızı başkasına batır

Meaning: Before criticizing others, try a little of the same on yourself.

Literally: Prick yourself with a needle before you prick others with a packing needle

Example: “Başkalarını eleştirmeden önce kendine bak. İğneyi kendine, çuvaldızı başkasına batır.” — Look at yourself before criticizing others: do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, German, and 5 more languages

  • English: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
  • French: Ne fais pas à autrui ce que tu ne voudrais pas qu'on te fasse (literally: Don't do to others what you wouldn't want done to you)
  • Spanish: Trata a los demás como quieras que te traten (literally: Treat others as you want to be treated)
  • Japanese: 己の欲せざる所、人に施す勿れ (Onore no hossezaru tokoro, hito ni hodokosu nakare) (literally: Do not impose on others what you do not wish for yourself)
  • German: Was du nicht willst, dass man dir tu, das füg auch keinem andern zu (literally: What you do not want done to you, do not do to anyone else either)
  • Portuguese: Não faças aos outros o que não gostas que te façam a ti (literally: Don't do to others what you wouldn't like done to you)
  • Dutch: Wat gij niet wilt dat u geschiedt, doe dat ook een ander niet (literally: What you don't want done to you, don't do to another)
  • Russian: Чего себе не хочешь, того и другому не твори (Chego sebe ne khochesh', togo i drugomu ne tvori) (literally: What you don't want for yourself, don't do to another)
  • Polish: Nie czyń drugiemu, co tobie niemiłe (literally: Don't do to another what you dislike)
  • Arabic: عامل الناس بما تحب أن يعاملوك به (ʿĀmil an-nās bimā tuḥibbu an yuʿāmilūka bih) (literally: Treat people as you'd like them to treat you)

Origin: A çuvaldız is a large sacking needle: test the small needle on your own skin before using the big one on someone else.

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