Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est
“Buy not what you want, but what you need.”
Cato in Seneca, Epistulae morales 94.27
What does “Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est” mean?
Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est translates as “Buy not what you want, but what you need.”
Spend on necessities, not on whims.
“Emas non quod opus est, sed …” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Emas | buy! | present subjunctive of emo, “I buy”, used here as a command (jussive), addressed to one person (2nd person singular) |
| non | not | adverb of negation |
| quod | what | relative pronoun, accusative singular neuter; object of an understood “buy” |
| opus est | is needed | opus est means “there is need”; used here with the relative clause: “what there is need of” |
| sed | but | conjunction introducing the contrast |
| quod | what | relative pronoun, accusative singular neuter; same function as the first quod |
| necesse est | is necessary | necesse is an indeclinable adjective used only with est: “it is unavoidable, necessary” |
How to pronounce “Emas non quod opus est, sed …”
The only real difference is necesse: Classical has a hard c (neh-KESS-eh), Church Latin has ch as in “church” (neh-CHESS-eh). Emas is stressed on the first syllable and necesse on the second.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “buy not what there is need of, but what is necessary”. The Latin sets two kinds of need against each other: what feels needed, and what truly is.
The saying is credited to Cato the Elder (Cato the Censor, 234 to 149 BC), a Roman statesman famous for his strict, frugal ways. We know it because Seneca the Younger quotes it in a letter to his friend Lucilius, Epistulae morales 94.27.
Seneca, a Stoic, cites Cato because the Stoics held that wealth and possessions matter little. Seneca goes on to say that what is not needed is dear at any price. The line is still quoted today in discussions of frugality and minimalism.
How to use “Emas non quod opus est, sed …”
A fitting motto for a budget notebook, a savings jar or a minimalist home, or a caption for a post about mindful spending. As a tattoo it suits someone who values simple living. In an essay it works well as an opening quote on consumerism or Stoic thought.
- Latin
- Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est
- English
- Buy not what you want, but what you need.
- Source
- Cato in Seneca, Epistulae morales 94.27
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Money
Common mistakes
- The quote belongs to Cato the Elder as reported by Seneca. It is not a saying of Seneca himself, so write “Cato in Seneca” or “Cato, quoted by Seneca”.
- Emas is a command (“buy!”), not “you buy” or “to buy”. The spelling emas, not emmas, is correct.
- opus est and necesse est both involve need, but are not the same: opus est takes the thing needed as its object, while necesse est means something is unavoidable. Do not swap them.
- Some online versions drop the second half. Without “but what you need” the quote loses its point.
Questions about “Emas non quod opus est, sed …”
What does “Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est” mean literally?
“Buy not what there is need of, but what is necessary.” In natural English: buy what you truly need, not what you merely feel you need.
Who said “Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est”?
It is attributed to Cato the Elder and preserved by Seneca in his Epistulae morales 94.27. It is not Seneca’s own saying.
How do you pronounce “Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est”?
Classical: EH-mahs nohn kwohd OH-poos est sed kwohd neh-KESS-eh est. Church Latin differs only in necesse, which is neh-CHESS-eh.
Is “Emas non quod opus est, sed quod necesse est” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine, correct Latin from an ancient source. Keep the full sentence, since the contrast between the two halves carries the meaning.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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