Meanings
proverb
- Discharging one's obligations must take precedence over devoting time to pursuits meant solely for one's own gratification.
Translations
Chinese Mandarin 先工作後玩樂 /先工作后玩乐
- 先工作後玩樂 /先工作后玩乐 (xiān gōngzuò hòu wánlè)discharging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Czech nejdřív povinnost, potom zábava
- nejdřív povinnost, potom zábavadischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Dutch zaken gaan voor plezier
- zaken gaan voor plezierdischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Estonian enne töö siis lõbu
- enne töö siis lõbudischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Finnish ensin työ, sitten leikki, ensin työ, sitten huvi
- ensin työ, sitten leikkidischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
- ensin työ, sitten huvidischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
German erst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügen
- erst die Arbeit, dann das Vergnügendischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Hebrew עסקים קודמים להנאה, עסקים קודמים לשעשועים
- עסקים קודמים להנאהdischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
- עסקים קודמים לשעשועיםdischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
- עסקים קודמים לבילוייםdischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Korean 꽃보다 경단
- 꽃보다 경단 (kkotboda gyeongdan)discharging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Polish służba nie drużba
- służba nie drużbadischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Spanish primero el deber y después el placer
- primero el deber y después el placerdischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Swedish nytta före nöje, plikten först, nöjet sedan
- nytta före nöjedischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
- plikten först, nöjet sedandischarging one's obligations should come before one's own gratification
Cite this entry
APA
business before pleasure. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/business%20before%20pleasure
MLA
“business before pleasure.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/business%20before%20pleasure. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “business before pleasure,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/business%20before%20pleasure.
Source: business before pleasure on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.