Non serviam
“I will not serve.”
Vulgate Bible, Jeremiah 2:20
What does “Non serviam” mean?
Non serviam translates as “I will not serve.”
A declaration of refusal to submit to authority.
“Non serviam” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Non | not | adverb of negation; it comes directly before the verb it negates |
| serviam | I will serve | first person singular future indicative active of servio, “to serve”; with non: “I will not serve” |
How to pronounce “Non serviam”
The only difference is the v: Classical Latin says it as w, the Church pronunciation as v. Stress falls on the first syllable of serviam in both.
The story behind it
Word for word the phrase is just “not I-will-serve”, a flat refusal in two words. It comes from the Vulgate, the Latin Bible translated by Jerome around 400 AD, in Jeremiah 2:20, where the prophet accuses Israel of saying “I will not serve”.
In that verse the words belong to a rebellious people turning from God. Later Christian tradition put the same words in the mouth of Lucifer, so that Non serviam became the motto of the proud rebel who refuses to obey.
The phrase lives on in literature. James Joyce has Stephen Dedalus declare it in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man, where it stands for a young artist’s refusal to serve home, church and country.
How to use “Non serviam”
It suits a tattoo, a personal motto or a caption about independence, rebellion or refusing to be controlled. Choose it with care: in Christian tradition it also carries the ring of Lucifer’s defiance.
- Latin
- Non serviam
- English
- I will not serve.
- Source
- Vulgate Bible, Jeremiah 2:20
- Era
- Late Antiquity
- Theme
- Freedom
Common mistakes
- It does not mean “I do not serve” as a plain statement of fact. serviam is future tense, so it is a resolve: “I will not serve”.
- Do not write it as one word or as “Non serviam te”. The verb stands alone, and the thing refused is left unsaid.
- It is often quoted as Satan’s words in Paradise Lost, but the phrase itself comes from Jeremiah 2:20 in the Vulgate. Milton’s rebel angels have their own lines.
Questions about “Non serviam”
What does “Non serviam” mean literally?
“I will not serve.” It is non (not) plus serviam, the future tense of servio, “to serve”.
Where does “Non serviam” come from?
From the Vulgate Bible, Jeremiah 2:20, where Israel is accused of saying it. Tradition later attached it to Lucifer.
How do you pronounce “Non serviam”?
Classically: nohn SEHR-wee-ahm. In Church Latin the v is a true v: nohn SEHR-vee-ahm.
Is “Non serviam” correct Latin for a tattoo?
Yes. It is grammatically correct and says exactly “I will not serve”. Be aware of its religious and rebellious associations.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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