Cura te ipsum
“Heal yourself.”
Vulgate Bible, Luke 4:23
What does “Cura te ipsum” mean?
Cura te ipsum translates as “Heal yourself.”
Fix your own faults before correcting others.
“Cura te ipsum” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Cura | heal! take care of! | a command (imperative) of curo, “I care for, I heal”; addressed to one person |
| te | yourself | accusative singular of the pronoun tu, “you”; the object of the command |
| ipsum | (your) very self | accusative singular masculine of ipse, “self”, an intensifier that agrees with te and adds emphasis |
How to pronounce “Cura te ipsum”
Both pronunciations sound the same here. Stress the first syllable of cura and the first of ipsum; te is a single short syllable.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “heal yourself” or “take care of your very self”. The verb cura can mean both to look after and to cure, which is why the English “heal” fits.
The line is the second half of the proverb “Medice, cura te ipsum” (“Physician, heal yourself”), which Jesus quotes in the Gospel of Luke 4:23 as the Vulgate, the Latin Bible, renders it. There he predicts that his hearers in Nazareth will throw the saying at him.
As a proverb it came to mean that someone who offers advice or criticism should first deal with their own faults. Today the short form is often used in a different, gentler sense, as a call to look after your own health and wellbeing.
How to use “Cura te ipsum”
A fitting tattoo, desk motto or card message for someone on a path of self-improvement or recovery, or a pointed caption when you want to say that advice should start at home. In an essay it works well when discussing hypocrisy or personal responsibility.
- Latin
- Cura te ipsum
- English
- Heal yourself.
- Source
- Vulgate Bible, Luke 4:23
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Character
Common mistakes
- The short form “Cura te ipsum” is not the exact wording of the Vulgate, which has “Medice, cura te ipsum”. Drop the “Medice” and you lose the word “physician”.
- Speaking to more than one person needs the plural curate vos ipsos, not cura te ipsum.
- Do not read it only as a wellness slogan. In its Biblical source it is a reproach aimed at someone expected to practise what he preaches.
- The ending of ipsum changes with gender: for a woman addressing herself, use te ipsam.
Questions about “Cura te ipsum”
What does “Cura te ipsum” mean literally?
“Heal yourself” or “take care of your very self”. Cura is a command, te is “yourself” and ipsum adds emphasis.
Where does “Cura te ipsum” come from?
It is the short form of “Medice, cura te ipsum” (“Physician, heal yourself”), found in the Vulgate at Luke 4:23, where Jesus quotes it as a proverb.
How do you pronounce “Cura te ipsum”?
In Classical Latin: KOO-rah teh IP-soom. The Church pronunciation sounds the same.
Is “Cura te ipsum” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, the grammar is correct for a man or for a general address. A woman addressing herself would use “Cura te ipsam”, and the full proverb is “Medice, cura te ipsum”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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