Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit
“Believe me, prudence is the first to leave the unhappy.”
Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto 4.12.47
What does “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit” mean?
Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit translates as “Believe me, prudence is the first to leave the unhappy.”
When we are miserable, good judgement is the first thing we lose.
“Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Crede | believe! | a command (imperative) of credo, “I believe”; addressed to one person, and the verb takes the dative of the person believed |
| mihi | me, to me | dative singular of ego, “I”; “believe me” is literally “give belief to me” |
| miseros | the wretched, the unhappy | accusative plural masculine of miser, “wretched”, used as a noun; object of relinquit |
| prudentia | prudence, good judgement | nominative singular of prudentia, “foresight, practical wisdom”; subject of the sentence |
| prima | first | nominative singular feminine of primus, “first”, agreeing with prudentia; it works like “first of all” |
| relinquit | leaves, abandons | third person singular present indicative active of relinquo, “I leave behind, abandon” |
How to pronounce “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”
The main differences are mihi (classical MIH-hee, church MEE-kee) and the ti in prudentia (tee-ah versus tsee-ah). Stress falls on the first syllable of crede, mihi, miseros and prima, the third of prudentia (pru-DEN-ti-a) and the second of relinquit.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “believe me, prudence first leaves the wretched”. It comes from Ovid’s Epistulae ex Ponto, “Letters from the Black Sea”, written in verse during his exile at Tomis, on the edge of the Roman world.
Ovid was banished by Augustus in 8 AD and never allowed to return to Rome. In these letters he writes to friends and patrons at home, describing his misery and asking for help. The line is a hard-won observation from a man who had lost everything.
Crede mihi is a conversational phrase Ovid uses often, as if speaking face to face. The thought, that misfortune clouds judgement, still rings true, and the line is quoted today for that reason.
How to use “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”
It suits a reflective caption, a note to a friend going through a bad patch, or an essay about how stress and grief cloud decision-making. As a tattoo or desk motto it works for someone who wants a reminder to stay level-headed when things go wrong.
- Latin
- Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit
- English
- Believe me, prudence is the first to leave the unhappy.
- Source
- Ovid, Epistulae ex Ponto 4.12.47
- Era
- Classical
- Theme
- Wisdom
Common mistakes
- Do not read prima as “the first prudence”. It agrees with prudentia and is best translated as “first (of all)”, meaning prudence is the first thing to go.
- Miseros is the object, not the subject: prudence leaves the unhappy, not the other way round.
- Crede mihi is often cut out of the line, but the full sentence is “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”. Quoting only the second half changes the rhythm of Ovid’s verse.
- Speaking to several people? The plural command is credite mihi.
Questions about “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”
What does “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit” mean literally?
“Believe me, prudence first leaves the wretched.” In natural English: when people are unhappy, good judgement is the first thing they lose.
Who said “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”?
The Roman poet Ovid, in his Epistulae ex Ponto (4.12.47), written during his exile on the Black Sea.
How do you pronounce “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit”?
In classical Latin: KREH-deh MIH-hee MIH-seh-rohs proo-DEN-tee-ah PREE-mah reh-LIN-kwit. In church Latin, mihi becomes MEE-kee and prudentia becomes proo-DEN-tsee-ah.
Is “Crede mihi, miseros prudentia prima relinquit” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is genuine Latin taken straight from Ovid. It is a full verse line, so it is long for a tattoo; if you shorten it, keep the grammar intact.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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