give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

English

Etymology

This saying was coined by Anne Isabella Thackeray Ritchie (1837–1919) in her novel, Mrs. Dymond (1885):

"I don't suppose even Caron could tell you the difference between material and spiritual," said Max, shrugging his shoulders. "He certainly doesn't practise his precepts, but I suppose the Patron meant that if you give a man a fish he is hungry again in an hour. If you teach him to catch a fish you do him a good turn. But these very elementary principles are apt to clash with the leisure of the cultivated classes. Will Mr. Bagginal now produce his ticket—the result of favour and the unjust sub-division of spiritual environments?" said Du Parc, with a smile.

It is sometimes believed to be Chinese in origin. The phrase is sourced from Lao Tzu (Laozi). The Chinese version is: 授人以鱼，不如授之以渔

Proverb

give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime

1. It is more worthwhile to teach someone to do something, than to do something for them.

Translations

more worthwhile to teach someone than do it for him

• Chinese:

  Mandarin: 授人以魚不如授人以漁 (cmn), 授人以鱼不如授人以渔 (cmn) (shòu rén yǐ yú bùrú shòu rén yǐ yú)

• Czech: dej člověku rybu - nasytíš ho na jeden den; nauč ho chytat ryby - nasytíš jej na celý život (cs)
• Finnish: Anna miehelle kala ja ruokit hänet päiväksi. Opeta hänet kalastamaan ja ruokit hänet loppuelämäksi. (fi)

• Lithuanian: duok žmogui žuvį - bus sotus vieną dieną, išmok jį meškerioti - bus sotus likusį gyvenimą (lt)
• Russian: дай человеку рыбу, и ты накормишь его на один день, научи человека рыбачить — и ты накормишь его на всю жизнь (ru) (daj čelovéku rýbu, i ty nakórmiš’ jevó na odín den’, naučí čelovéka rybáčit’ - i ty nakormiš’ jevó na vsju žizn’)