Meanings
alternative God helps them that help themselves · alternative heaven helps those who help themselves · alternative the Lord helps those who help themselves
- Good fortune or providential aid comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things.
Origin
First appearing in English (in this form) in 1698, in Algernon Sidney's Discourses Concerning Government. Translation of a maxim found in Ancient Greek and Roman literature; equivalent proverbs are found in many languages, such as Hungarian and Italian.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic اعقِلْها وتَوكَّلْ
- اعقِلْها وتَوكَّلْgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Catalan ajuda't i Déu t'ajudarà, ajuda't i cel t'ajudarà
- ajuda't i Déu t'ajudaràgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- ajuda't i cel t'ajudaràgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Chinese Mandarin 天道酬勤, 自助者天助
- 天道酬勤 (tiāndào chóuqín)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- 自助者天助 (zìzhùzhě tiānzhù)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Czech pomoz si sám a Bůh ti pomůže
- pomoz si sám a Bůh ti pomůžegood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Finnish Jumala auttaa niitä, jotka auttavat itse itseään
- Jumala auttaa niitägood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- jotka auttavat itse itseäängood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
French aide-toi, le ciel t'aidera
- aide-toi, le ciel t'aideragood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
German hilf dir selbst, dann hilft dir Gott
- hilf dir selbst, dann hilft dir Gottgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Hungarian segíts magadon, s az Isten is megsegít
- segíts magadon, s az Isten is megsegítgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Italian aiutati che Dio t'aiuta, aiutati che il ciel t'aiuta
- aiutati che Dio t'aiutagood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- aiutati che il ciel t'aiutagood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Japanese 天は自ら助ける者を助く
- 天は自ら助ける者を助く (ten wa mizukara tasukeru mono o tasuku)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Korean 자구다복, 하늘은 스스로 돕는 자를 돕는다
- 자구다복 (jagudabok)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- 하늘은 스스로 돕는 자를 돕는다 (haneur-eun seuseuro domneun ja-reul domneunda)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Portuguese Deus ajuda quem se ajuda
- Deus ajuda quem se ajudagood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Romanian Dumnezeu te ajută, dacă te ajuți singur; ajută-te și Dumnezeu te va ajuta.
- Dumnezeu te ajută, dacă te ajuți singur; ajută-te și Dumnezeu te va ajuta.good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Russian на бо́га наде́йся, а сам не плоша́й
- на бо́га наде́йся, а сам не плоша́й (na bóga nadéjsja, a sam ne plošáj)good fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Spanish ayúdate que Dios te ayudará, a Dios rogando y con el mazo dando
- ayúdate que Dios te ayudarágood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
- a Dios rogando y con el mazo dandogood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Swedish hjälp dig själv så hjälper dig gud
- hjälp dig själv så hjälper dig gudgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Thai ตนเป็นที่พึ่งแห่งตน
- ตนเป็นที่พึ่งแห่งตนgood fortune comes to those who make an effort to accomplish things
Cite this entry
God helps those who help themselves. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/God%20helps%20those%20who%20help%20themselves
“God helps those who help themselves.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/God%20helps%20those%20who%20help%20themselves. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “God helps those who help themselves,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/God%20helps%20those%20who%20help%20themselves.
Source: God helps those who help themselves on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.