Meaning & Analysis
A person's wisdom is worthless or non-existent if it does not benefit them personally. True intelligence is demonstrated by the ability to secure one's own well-being and advantage.
Insights
Pragmatism over Idealism
The proverb champions practical, self-serving intelligence over abstract or theoretical knowledge. It argues that wisdom's true value is not in what one knows, but in how effectively that knowledge is used for personal gain.
Critique of Self-Sacrifice
It serves as a critique of unthinking altruism, suggesting that those who help others to their own detriment are not noble but foolish. The inability to care for oneself negates any wisdom one might offer to others.
Authenticity of Wisdom
The saying implies that self-interest is the ultimate test of wisdom. If an individual cannot successfully manage their own affairs, any advice or wisdom they possess is rendered inauthentic and unreliable.
Self-Care as a Foundation
It underscores the idea that securing one's own stability is a prerequisite for offering effective help to others. Wisdom must first be applied inwardly before it can be effectively directed outward.
Pragmatic Individualism
Rooted in classical antiquity and popularized by Erasmus, this proverb reflects a pragmatic, individualistic worldview. It serves as a cynical counterpoint to purely altruistic philosophies, suggesting that the ultimate proof of wisdom lies in its successful application to one's own life and prosperity.
Psychology of Self-Interest
The proverb taps into the psychological tension between self-interest and altruism. It frames self-preservation and the pursuit of personal advantage not as selfishness, but as the primary indicator of rational intelligence, implicitly labeling excessive self-sacrifice as foolishness.
Philosophical Egoism
This saying aligns with the philosophical school of ethical egoism, which posits that acting in one's own self-interest is a moral imperative. It challenges collectivist or altruistic ethics by asserting that personal well-being is the foundational measure of a person's judgment.
Rhetorical Devices
Polyptoton
The repetition of 'wise' in a seemingly circular statement forces a distinction between abstract wisdom and practical, self-benefiting wisdom, making the phrase memorable and emphatic.
Paradox
The proverb functions as a paradox, questioning the very definition of wisdom. It creates a logical loop that resolves by redefining 'wise' in pragmatic, self-interested terms.
Implied Antithesis
An implicit contrast is drawn between two forms of wisdom—one that is theoretical or benefits others, and one that is practical and benefits the self—asserting the superiority of the latter.
Transcription
Quotations
Nequicquam sapit, qui sibi non sapit.
He is in vayne wyse that is not wyse for hym selfe . . men of our tyme kepe this saynge so iompe, that he is not counted worthy to be called a man whiche by anye meanes can not seke his owne auantage.
Their wisdom is nothing worth which are not wise for themselves.
Then (father) thus liue I that vse my wit, Unto my selfe I loue still to be wise.
He's never wise but to himself.
(to himselfe).
He is wise that's wise for himself.
Take not him for a wise man, who is only wise for others.
That wise man is little worth, who is not wise in his own business.
Cross References
Related Proverbs
Original Scan
Used under CC BY-NC 3.0.