proverb · Words worth keeping
He who maketh others wretched is himself a wretch, whether prince or peasant.
He who maketh others wretched is himself a wretch, whether prince or peasant.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Deliberately making others miserable is wrong regardless of rank. The contrast between prince and peasant applies the same moral scrutiny across status.
What the words are saying
The saying refuses to let high office or low position excuse harmful conduct. Calling the perpetrator a wretch is forceful condemnation, but a careful reading focuses on the action and the responsibility to stop and repair it. Not every disappointment means someone intentionally caused misery. A useful application examines the evidence and the effects without allowing prestige to protect cruelty from criticism.
Everyday example
A group challenges humiliating conduct by a senior member using the same standard it would apply to anyone else.
When to use it
Use it to affirm accountability for harmful conduct across differences of status.
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What it does not mean
Criticism should be supported and directed at conduct, without treating every disappointment as intentional harm.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1863 · Wretch
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English