Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum
“When you live rightly, do not worry about the words of the wicked.”
Disticha Catonis
What does “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum” mean?
Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum translates as “When you live rightly, do not worry about the words of the wicked.”
If your conduct is sound, gossip and spite from ill-meaning people do not deserve your attention. The line is a quiet encouragement to keep your own course.
“Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Cum | when, since | conjunction; here it introduces the condition under which the advice applies |
| recte | rightly, correctly | adverb, formed from the adjective rectus, “straight, upright” |
| vivas | you live | 2nd person singular present subjunctive of vivo, “to live”; the subjunctive is normal after cum in this sense |
| ne | do not | negative word used with a command; ne cures is a negative command (prohibition) |
| cures | you worry, you care | 2nd person singular present subjunctive of curo, “to care about, to worry about”; the subjunctive with ne gives a negative command |
| verba | the words | accusative plural of verbum, “word”; neuter; object of cures |
| malorum | of the wicked | genitive plural of malus, “bad, wicked”, used as a noun: “of bad people” |
How to pronounce “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum”
The main difference is v: Classical says w (WEE-wahs), Church says v (VEE-vahs). The rest sounds the same, since the c in cum, recte and cures comes before u, e or consonants where both systems say k. Stress: REK-teh, KOO-rehs, mah-LOH-room.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “when you live rightly, do not care about the words of the wicked”. It is a single line of Latin verse (a hexameter) offering a simple piece of moral advice: if your conduct is good, hostile talk need not trouble you.
It comes from the Disticha Catonis, the “Distichs of Cato”, a collection of short moral maxims in two-line verses. It is traditionally linked to a figure called Cato, but the author is unknown and the work is generally dated to late antiquity, not to the Roman statesman Cato the Elder.
The collection became one of the most widely used school texts of the Middle Ages and beyond. Pupils learned Latin and good conduct from it for centuries, which is why lines like this one are still quoted today.
How to use “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum”
Fits a desk sign, journal page or card for someone facing unfair criticism or gossip. It also works as a personal motto about keeping to your own principles, or as a quote in an essay on reputation and conscience.
- Latin
- Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum
- English
- When you live rightly, do not worry about the words of the wicked.
- Source
- Disticha Catonis
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Character
Common mistakes
- The line does not say that criticism is always wrong. It says that when you are living rightly, the words of ill-meaning people need not worry you.
- malorum means “of bad or wicked people”, not “of bad things”; it is masculine plural used as a noun.
- ne cures is a negative command, not “you do not care”. Writing non cures would change the grammar and the force of the advice.
- It is not by the Roman statesman Cato the Elder. The Distichs of Cato are a later collection under his name.
Questions about “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum”
What does “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum” mean?
It means “When you live rightly, do not worry about the words of the wicked.” In plain terms: if your conduct is good, ignore gossip and spite from people with bad intentions.
Where is “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum” from?
It is one of the moral couplets in the Disticha Catonis, a late-antique collection of maxims. The real author is unknown, despite the name of Cato attached to it.
How do you pronounce “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum”?
In Classical Latin: koom REK-teh WEE-wahs neh KOO-rehs WEHR-bah mah-LOH-room. In Church Latin the v is pronounced as in English, so vivas becomes VEE-vahs.
Is “Cum recte vivas, ne cures verba malorum” good Latin for a tattoo?
Yes, it is correct Latin as written. Keep the whole line together: shortening it or changing endings can alter the grammar, and malorum is a plural noun meaning “of the wicked”.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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