Glossary entry (derived from question below)
Dutch term or phrase:
Het hemd is nader dan de rok.
English translation:
Charity begins at home.
Dutch term
Het hemd is nader dan de rok.
Greetings,
Please could you explain the meaning/usage of this proverb?
All the best,
Simon
Nov 25, 2009 00:36: Yasutomo Kanazawa Created KOG entry
Non-PRO (1): Buck
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Proposed translations
Japan
Scientia est potentia
Native in: Japanese 
Works in: English to Japanese, German to Japanese, Italian to Japanese, and 3 more.
Charity begins at home.
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Note added at 21 mins (2009-11-23 16:31:02 GMT)
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You should take care of family and people close to you before you worry about helping others.
http://idioms.thefreedictionary.com/charity
One makes the most effort for those closest to him (her)
I found this proverb in this wonderful little book from Belgium that I happen to have. Literally: "Men doet de meeste moeite voor de mensen die men het meest liefheeft." The book is Groot Spreekwoordenboek; NUGI 943/94 Belgium. Good luck!
You have my word on it
Native in: Dutch
Works in: English to Dutch, Dutch, Flemish to Dutch
Blood is thicker than water
"...means family relationships are stronger and more important than other kinds of relationships"
| agree |
André Linsen
: Absolutely! When a choice has to be made, family will come first! Be CrystalClear's answer is an equally good one!
2 hrs
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Thanks
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| agree |
Iris Shalev
14 hrs
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Thanks
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Your text is in good hands
Native in: Dutch
Works in: English to Dutch, French to Dutch, Dutch to English, and 4 more.
Near is my skirt, but nearer is my skin.
het hemd is nader dan de rok
near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin
near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock
± charity begins at home
The last option is indeed what Yasutomo suggested.
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Note added at 36 mins (2009-11-23 16:45:49 GMT)
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I have actually found out that "near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock" is more common than "near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin".
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Note added at 39 mins (2009-11-23 16:49:08 GMT)
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I take back what I said in my previous note: the one with the shirt is obviously more common than the one with the kirtle.
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Note added at 41 mins (2009-11-23 16:50:36 GMT)
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And I just found out there's a typo in the answer I provided: it should be shirt, not skirt! :-s
| neutral |
Johan Venter
: I just found out that sometimes it is a little hard to be crystal clear :)
25 mins
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Yes, I'm sorry about that, but my final answer is "near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin"
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Reference comments
by N. E. Osselton, R. Hempelman - 2003 - Foreign Language Study - 909 pages
... (naasten)liefde || - charity begins at home (roughly) het hemd is nader dan de rok charlatan ...
books.google.be/books?isbn=041530041X..
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Note added at 43 mins (2009-11-23 16:53:06 GMT)
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Van Dale Nl-En dictionary
¶ spreekwoord(en)
het hemd is nader dan de rok
near is my shirt, but nearer is my skin
near is my kirtle, but nearer is my smock
± charity begins at home
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