Meanings
alternative do what I say, not what I do
- Do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions.
Do what I say now, not what I do The dilettantish peekaboo
2006, J. G. Thirlwell, “Sieve”, in Damp, performed by Foetus
Origin
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.”
Full word history & related roots →Translations
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
- 就按我說的做，別照我做的做 /就按我说的做do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
- 别照我做的做 (jiù àn wǒ shuō de zuò, bié zhào wǒ zuò de zuò)do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Czech káže vodu a pije víno
- káže vodu a pije vínodo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Esperanto faru kiel mi diras, ne kiel mi faras
- faru kiel mi diras, ne kiel mi farasdo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Finnish älä tee niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanon, älkää tehkö niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanon
- älä tee niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanondo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
- älkää tehkö niin kuin minä teen, vaan niin kuin minä sanondo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
French fais ce que je dis, pas ce que je fais, faites ce que je dis, pas ce que je fais
- fais ce que je dis, pas ce que je faisdo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
- faites ce que je dis, pas ce que je faisdo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
German tu, was ich sage, nicht, was ich tue (selbst/selber)
- tu, was ich sage, nicht, was ich tue (selbst/selber) (dir)do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Polish rób to, co mówię, a nie to, co robię, róbcie, co mówię, a nie to, co robię
- rób to, co mówię, a nie to, co robiędo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
- róbcie, co mówię, a nie to, co robiędo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Portuguese faça o que eu digo, mas não faça o que eu faço
- faça o que eu digo, mas não faça o que eu façodo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Romanian fă ce zice popa, nu ce face popa
- fă ce zice popa, nu ce face popado not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Russian как сказано делай, не как мною сделано
- как сказано делай, не как мною сделано (kak skazano delaj, ne kak mnoju sdelano)do not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Spanish consejos vendo y para mí no tengo
- consejos vendo y para mí no tengodo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Swedish gör som jag säger, inte som jag gör
- gör som jag säger, inte som jag gördo not imitate my behavior but obey my instructions
Cite this entry
do as I say and not as I do. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20as%20I%20say%20and%20not%20as%20I%20do
“do as I say and not as I do.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20as%20I%20say%20and%20not%20as%20I%20do. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “do as I say and not as I do,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/do%20as%20I%20say%20and%20not%20as%20I%20do.
Source: do as I say and not as I do on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.