“Charity begins at home” is the proverb about looking after your own first. Here is what it means, where it comes from, how to use it, and a few sayings that share its sense of priorities.
What Does “Charity Begins at Home” Mean?
The proverb means that your first duty of care and kindness is to your own family and the people closest to you, before you turn to help strangers or the wider world. It is not an argument against generosity to others, but a reminder of priorities: you should make sure your own household is looked after before you spread your help further afield. Sometimes, though, it is used as a polite excuse for not giving to others at all.
Origin of the Proverb
The idea has strong biblical roots — the First Letter to Timothy (5:8) teaches that a person should provide for their own household first. The English reformer John Wycliffe expressed the thought as early as 1382, and the first connecting of “charity” and “home” in the familiar phrasing appears in John Marston’s play Histrio-Mastix in 1610. From there it became one of the most quoted of all English proverbs about duty and giving.
Examples in a Sentence
- “Before donating abroad, he helped his struggling neighbours — charity begins at home.”
- “Look after your own family first; charity begins at home.”
- “She volunteers widely but never forgets that charity begins at home.”
Similar Proverbs
- Look after your own first — your nearest have the first claim on your care.
- Blood is thicker than water — family ties come before others.
- Sweep before your own door — put your own house in order first.
- Near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin — what is closest matters most.
For more sayings about family and giving, see our family proverbs and the full library of proverbs and their meanings.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does “charity begins at home” mean?
It means your first duty of care is to your own family and those closest to you, before you help strangers or the wider world.
Where does the proverb come from?
It has biblical roots (1 Timothy 5:8); John Wycliffe expressed it in 1382, and the familiar “charity begins at home” phrasing appears in John Marston’s 1610 play Histrio-Mastix.
What is a similar proverb?
“Blood is thicker than water” and “sweep before your own door” share the idea of caring for your own first.
