Know thyself
Meaning: Self-knowledge and self-awareness are the foundation of all wisdom and right living.
Origin: Ancient Greek aphorism (γνῶθι σεαυτόν) inscribed at the Temple of Apollo at Delphi; central to Socratic philosophy.
Translations
- French: Connais-toi toi-même (literally: Know yourself)
- Spanish: Conócete a ti mismo (literally: Know yourself)
- Japanese: 汝自身を知れ (Nanji jishin wo shire) (literally: Know thyself)
More proverbs about Morality
- Waste not, want not — Using things carefully and avoiding waste prevents future need and scarcity.
- Let the punishment fit the crime — Penalties should be proportional and appropriate to the offense committed.
- He who permits wickedness commands it — Silently allowing wrongdoing makes you as responsible as the wrongdoer.
- The truth is rarely pure and never simple — Reality is complex and nuanced; anyone claiming simple certainty should be viewed with sk…
- Character is what you do when no one is watching — True virtue is shown not in public performances but in private actions when there are no…
- The shortest answer is doing the thing itself — Action is more effective than deliberation; the most direct response to a challenge is to…
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