- English translation
A person of good character needs nothing more than his own eyes to judge what is right.
- Literal wording
The noble-minded person's eye is his own scale.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb praises a person of genuine noble character, free in the sense of self-respecting and well-bred rather than legally or politically free, as someone who carries an inner standard of judgment. By simply observing how things stand, such a person weighs what is owed to others and acts properly without needing anyone to point the way.
The eye here stands for discernment gained through observation, not eyesight as such, and the scale is a figure for judging what is fitting, not literal measurement or trade. The saying contrasts such a person with those who must be advised or reminded before acting well.
- When it is used
Use it to praise someone who grasps what a situation requires and acts on it unprompted, or to suggest gently that a person of good character should not need explicit instructions or reminders about how to conduct affairs with others.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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