do as I say and not as I do

English

Alternative forms

• do what I say, not what I do

Etymology

This simplified order first appeared in John Selden's Table-Talk (c. 1654): "Preachers say, 'Do as I say, not as I do.'"
The original parsing is found in the New Testament (Matthew 23:1-3; King James Version): “Then spake Jesus to the multitude, and to his disciples, Saying The scribes and the Pharisees sit in Moses' seat: All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.”

Proverb

do as I say and not as I do

1. (as imperative) Do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
   • 2006, J. G. Thirlwell (lyrics and music), “Sieve”, in Damp, performed by Foetus:

     Do what I say now, not what I do
     The dilettantish peekaboo

Translations

do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 就按我說的做，別照我做的做 / 就按我说的做，别照我做的做 (jiù àn wǒ shuō de zuò, bié zhào wǒ zuò de zuò)

• Czech: káže vodu a pije víno
• Esperanto: faru kiel mi diras, ne kiel mi faras
• Finnish: älä tee niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanon (singular), älkää tehkö niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanon (plural)
• French: fais ce que je dis, pas ce que je fais (fr) (singular), faites ce que je dis, pas ce que je fais (fr) (singular)
• German: tu, was ich (dir) sage, (und) nicht, was ich (selbst/selber) tue
• Polish: rób to, co mówię, a nie to, co robię (singular), róbcie, co mówię, a nie to, co robię (plural)
• Portuguese: faça o que eu digo, mas não faça o que eu faço
• Russian: как сказано делай, не как мною сделано (kak skazano delaj, ne kak mnoju sdelano)
• Spanish: consejos vendo y para mí no tengo
• Swedish: gör som jag säger, inte som jag gör

See also

• hypocrisy