Practice what you preach
Meaning: Live according to the principles you advocate.
Origin: The idea comes from Jesus' criticism of the scribes and Pharisees in Matthew 23:3: do as they tell you, "but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not." The English "practise what you preach" is recorded from the 17th century.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Il faut prêcher par l'exemple (literally: One must preach by example)
- Spanish: Predica con el ejemplo (literally: Preach with the example)
- Japanese: 言行一致 (Genkō itchi) (literally: Words and actions in accord)
- German: Wasser predigen und Wein trinken (literally: To preach water and drink wine)
More proverbs about Morality
- Cleanliness is next to godliness — Being clean is a virtue akin to being pious.
- Pride comes before a fall — Arrogance often precedes failure.
- The wheels of justice turn slowly — Justice takes time but eventually arrives.
- The ends justify the means — A good outcome excuses questionable methods.
- Charity begins at home — Take care of your own family before helping others.
- Don't look a gift horse in the mouth — Don't question the value of a gift.
From our tongue twisters
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. — Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. — A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.
- Zehn zahme Ziegen ziehen zehn Zentner Zucker zum Zoo. — A sustained 'z' / 'ts' drill — every word starts with the same affricate.