The fish rots from the head down

Meaning: Problems in an organization or society start at the top, with its leaders.

Origin: Turkish proverb (Balık baştan kokar), widely used across Slavic and Middle Eastern cultures.

Translations

• French: Le poisson pourrit par la tête (literally: The fish rots from the head)
• Spanish: El pez se pudre por la cabeza (literally: The fish rots from the head)
• Japanese: 魚は頭から腐る (Sakana wa atama kara kusaru) (literally: A fish rots from the head)

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