Explore English traditional proverbsReviewed 2026-10-01
Sense: Verified- Meaning and lesson
Treat other people with the same consideration you would want them to show you. Your own wishes offer a guide for choosing how to act toward someone else.
The proverb also challenges double standards: it is unfair to expect patience, honesty, or kindness from others while refusing to offer those things yourself.
- When it is used
Use it to encourage someone to consider how an action would feel if they were on the receiving end, especially when deciding whether their treatment of another person is fair.
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
Report an issue with this meaning: Do as you would be done by.