Vol. 06 · Misquoted ·Saying ·47 of 348
"Charity begins at home."
They never said that.
What people say
"Charity begins at home."
What was actually said
"Charity indeed begins at home, but should not end there." Thomas Fuller (collected) — Thomas Fuller, Gnomologia (1732)
Why it stuck
Fuller's full aphorism balances domestic duty with outward giving. Modern use of the first clause alone can justify exactly the behaviour Fuller warned against.
Earlier forms appear in 1 Timothy 5:4 and John Wycliffe (1383).
Know another line by heart?
Play the duel and see how many you can spot. Or browse the whole shelf.