The Ancient Greek aphorism "know thyself", is one of the Delphic maxims and was inscribed in the pronaos of the Temple of Apollo at Delphi.
In Latin the phrase, "know thyself," is given as 'nosce te ipsum' or 'temet nosce'.

The Delphic maxims are a set of 147 aphorisms inscribed at Delphi.



Originally, they were said to have been given by the Greek god Apollo's Oracle at Delphi, Pythia, and therefore were attributed to Apollo.

Perhaps the most famous of these maxims is 'know thyself,' which was carved into the Temple of Apollo at Delphi. The specific order and wording of each maxim varies among different versions (and translations) of the text.



147 Delphic maxims as cited by Stobaeus:

001. Ἕπου θεῷ — Follow God

002. Νόμῳ πείθου — Obey the law

003. Θεοὺς σέβου — Respect the Gods

004. Γονεῖς αἰδοῦ — Respect your parents

005. Ἡττῶ ὑπὸ δικαίου — Be overcome by justice

006. Γνῶθι μαθών — Know what you have learned

007. Ἀκούσας νόει — Perceive what you have heard

008. Σαυτὸν ἴσθι — Be/Know yourself

009. Γαμεῖν μέλλε — Intend to get married

010. Καιρὸν γνῶθι — Know your opportunity

011. Φρόνει θνητά — Think as a mortal

012. Ξένος ὢν ἴσθι — If you are a stranger act like one

013. Ἑστίαν τίμα — Honor the house

014. Ἄρχε σεαυτοῦ — Control yourself

015. Φίλοις βοήθει — Help your friends

016. Θυμοῦ κράτει — Control anger

017. Φρόνησιν ἄσκει — Exercise prudence

018. Πρόνοιαν τίμα — Honor providence

019. Ὅρκῳ μὴ χρῶ — Do not use an oath

020. Φιλίαν ἀγάπα — Love friendship

021. Παιδείας ἀντέχου — Cling to discipline

022. Δόξαν δίωκε — Pursue honor

023. Σοφίαν ζήλου — Long for wisdom

024. Καλὸν εὖ λέγε — Praise the good

025. Ψέγε μηδένα — Find fault with no one

026. Ἐπαίνει ἀρετήν — Praise virtue

027. Πρᾶττε δίκαια — Practice what is just

028. Φίλοις εὐνόει — Favor friends

029. Ἐχθροὺς ἀμύνου — Defend against enemies

030. Εὐγένειαν ἄσκει — Exercise nobility of character

031. Κακίας ἀπέχου — Shun evil

032. Κοινὸς γίνου — Be impartial

033. Ἴδια φύλαττε — Guard what is yours

034. Ἀλλοτρίων ἀπέχου — Shun what belongs to others

035. Ἄκουε πάντα — Listen to everyone

036. Εὔφημος ἴσθι — Have good reputation

037. Φίλῳ χαρίζου — Do a favor for a friend

038. Μηδὲν ἄγαν — Nothing to excess

039. Χρόνου φείδου — Use time sparingly

040. Ὅρα τὸ μέλλον — Foresee the future

041. Ὕβριν μίσει — Despise insolence

042. Ἱκέτας αἰδοῦ — Have respect for suppliants

043. Πᾶσιν ἁρμόζου — Be accommodating in everything

044. Υἱοὺς παίδευε — Educate your sons

045. Ἔχων χαρίζου — Give what you have

046. Δόλον φοβοῦ — Fear deceit

047. Εὐλόγει πάντας — Speak well of everyone

048. Φιλόσοφος γίνου — Be a seeker of wisdom

049. Ὅσια κρῖνε — Choose what is divine

050. Γνοὺς πρᾶττε — Act when you know

051. Φόνου ἀπέχου — Shun murder

052. Εὔχου δυνατά — Wish for things possible

053. Σοφοῖς χρῶ — Consult the wise

054. Ἦθος δοκίμαζε — Test the character

055. Λαβὼν ἀπόδος — Give back what you have received

056. Ὑφορῶ μηδένα — Down-look no one

057. Τέχνῃ χρῶ — Use your skill

058. Ὃ μέλλεις, δός — Do what you mean to do

059. Εὐεργεσίας τίμα — Honor a benefaction

060. Φθόνει μηδενί Be jealous of no one

061. Φυλακῇ πρόσεχε — Be on your guard

062. Ἐλπίδα αἴνει — Praise hope

063. Διαβολὴν μίσει — Despise a slanderer

064. Δικαίως κτῶ — Gain possessions justly

065. Ἀγαθοὺς τίμα — Honor good men

066. Κριτὴν γνῶθι — Know the judge

067. Γάμους κράτει — Master wedding-feasts

068. Τύχην νόμιζε — Recognize fortune

069. Ἐγγύην φεῦγε — Flee a pledge

070. Ἁπλῶς διαλέγου — Speak plainly

071. Ὁμοίοις χρῶ — Associate with your peers

072. Δαπανῶν ἄρχου — Govern your expenses

073. Κτώμενος ἥδου — Be happy with what you have

074. Αἰσχύνην σέβου — Revere a sense of shame

075. Χάριν ἐκτέλει — Fulfill a favor

076. Εὐτυχίαν εὔχου — Pray for happiness

077. Τύχην στέργε — Be fond of fortune

078. Ἀκούων ὅρα — Observe what you have heard

079. Ἐργάζου κτητά — Work for what you can own

080. Ἔριν μίσει — Despise strife

081. Ὄνειδος ἔχθαιρε — Detest disgrace

082. Γλῶτταν ἴσχε — Restrain the tongue

083. Ὕβριν ἀμύνου — Keep yourself from insolence

084. Κρῖνε δίκαια — Make just judgements

085. Χρῶ χρήμασιν — Use what you have

086. Ἀδωροδόκητος δίκαζε — Judge incorruptibly

087. Αἰτιῶ παρόντα — Accuse one who is present

088. Λέγε εἰδώς — Tell when you know

089. Βίας μὴ ἔχου — Have no violence

090. Ἀλύπως βίου — Live without sorrow

091. Ὁμίλει πρᾴως — Live together meekly

092. Πέρας ἐπιτέλει μὴ ἀποδειλιῶν — Finish the race without shrinking back

093. Φιλοφρόνει πᾶσιν — Deal kindly with everyone

094. Υἱοῖς μὴ καταρῶ — Do not curse your sons

095. Γυναικὸς ἄρχε — Initiate / lead / guide your wife

096. Σεαυτὸν εὖ ποίει — Benefit yourself

097. Εὐπροσήγορος γίνου — Be courteous

098. Ἀποκρίνου ἐν καιρῷ — Give a timely response

099. Πόνει μετ’ εὐκλείας — Struggle with glory

100. Πρᾶττε ἀμετανοήτως — Act without repenting

101. Ἁμαρτάνων μετανόει — Repent of sins

102. Ὀφθαλμοῦ κράτει — Control the eye

103. Βουλεύου χρόνῳ — Give a timely counsel

104. Πρᾶττε συντόμως — Act quickly

105. Φιλίαν φύλαττε — Guard friendship

106. Εὐγνώμων γίνου — Be grateful

107. Ὁμόνοιαν δίωκε — Pursue harmony

108. Ἄρρητον κρύπτε — Keep deeply the top secret

109. Τὸ κρατοῦν φοβοῦ — Fear ruling

110. Τὸ συμφέρον θηρῶ — Pursue what is profitable

111. Καιρὸν προσδέχου — Accept due measure

112. Ἔχθρας διάλυε — Do away with enmities

113. Γῆρας προσδέχου — Accept old age

114. Ἐπὶ ῥώμῃ μὴ καυχῶ — Do not boast in might

115. Εὐφημίαν ἄσκει — Exercise (religious) silence

116. Ἀπέχθειαν φεῦγε — Flee enmity

117. Πλούτει δικαίως — Acquire wealth justly

118. Δόξαν μὴ λεῖπε — Do not abandon honor

119. Κακίαν μίσει — Despise evil

120. Κινδύνευε φρονίμως — Venture into danger prudently

121. Μανθάνων μὴ κάμνε — Do not tire of learning

122. Φειδόμενος μὴ λεῖπε — Do not stop to be thrifty

123. Χρησμοὺς θαύμαζε — Admire oracles

124. Οὓς τρέφεις, ἀγάπα — Love whom you rear

125. Ἀπόντι μὴ μάχου — Do not oppose someone absent

126. Πρεσβύτερον αἰδοῦ — Respect the elder

127. Νεώτερον δίδασκε — Teach a youngster

128. Πλούτῳ ἀπίστει — Do not trust wealth

129. Σεαυτὸν αἰδοῦ — Respect yourself

130. Μὴ ἄρχε ὑβρίζειν — Do not begin to be insolent

131. Προγόνους στεφάνου — Crown your ancestors

132. Θνῆσκε ὑπὲρ πατρίδος — Die for your country

133. Τῷ βίῳ μὴ ἄχθου — Do not be discontented by life

134. Ἐπὶ νεκρῷ μὴ γέλα — Do not make fun of the dead

135. Ἀτυχοῦντι συνάχθου — Share the load of the unfortunate

136. Χαρίζου ἀβλαβῶς — Gratify without harming

137. Μὴ ἐπὶ παντὶ λυποῦ — Grieve for no one

138. Ἐξ εὐγενῶν γέννα — Beget from noble routes

139. Ἐπαγγέλλου μηδενί — Make promises to no one

140. Φθιμένους μὴ ἀδίκει — Do not wrong the dead

141. Εὖ πάσχε ὡς θνητός — Be well off as a mortal

142. Τύχῃ μὴ πίστευε — Do not trust fortune

143. Παῖς ὢν κόσμιος — ἴσθι As a child be well-behaved

144. Ἡβῶν ἐγκρατής — As a youth be self-disciplined

145. Μέσος δίκαιος — As of middle-age be just

146. Πρεσβύτης εὔλογος — As an old man be sensible

147. Τελευτῶν ἄλυπος — On reaching the end be without sorrow