A Dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

divided see a HOUSE divided cannot stand; UNITED we stand, divided we fall.

divine see to ERR is human (to forgive divine); on SAINT Thomas the Divine kill all
turkeys, geese, and swine.

DO as I say, not as I do

Cf. MATTHEW xxiii. 3 (AV) Do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

a 1100 in N. R. Ker Anglo-Saxons (1959) 277 Ac theah ic wyrs do thonne ic the lœre

ne do thu na swa swa ic do, ac do swa ic the lœre gyf ic the wel lœre [Although I do worse

than I teach you, do not do as I do, but do as I teach you if I teach you well]. 1546 J.

HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. V. H4V It is as folke dooe, and not as folke say.

1689 J. SELDON Table-Talk 45 Preachers say, Do as I say, not as I do. 1911 Spectator 24

June 957 It has always been considered allowable to say.. to children, ‘Do as I say, rather

than as I do.’ 1979 D. CLARK Heberden’s Seat v. I saw you spooning sugar into coffee. ..

Do as I say, not as I do. 2001 Spectator 4 Aug. 28 Do as I say, not as I do. The

government’s White Paper on competition is a bad example in itself, for why should

there only be one of it? hypocrisy; words and deeds

DO as you would be done by

A pithier form of DO unto others as you would they should do unto you. The forms are
sometimes mixed, e.g. quot. 1991.

c 1596 A. MUNDAY et al. Sir Thomas More 9 A [he] saies trewe: letts do as we may

be doon by. 1747 CHESTERFIELD Letter 16 Oct. (1932) III. 1035 ‘Do as you would be

done by,’ is the surest method that I know of pleasing. 1863 C. KINGSLEY Water Babies

v. I shall grow as handsome as my sister.. the loveliest fairy in the world;.. her name is

Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby. 1928 ‘J. J. CONNINGTON’ Mystery at Lynden Sands viii.

‘Do unto others as you’d be done by’ is my motto. 1965 M. FRAYN Tin Men i. ‘Always

treat a man as you would wish to be treated yourself. .. ‘’Do as you would be done by.’

‘It’s good human relations. .. ‘ Mr. Vulgurian paused and stroked his hair, doing to it as

he would be done by. 1991 T. MO Redundancy of Courage xxix. 394 ‘Do unto others as

you would be done by’ was a more positive social prescription of societies like Toronto.

reciprocity; society

DO right and fear no man