Per me reges regnant
“Through me kings reign.”
Vulgate, Proverbs 8:15
What does “Per me reges regnant” mean?
Per me reges regnant translates as “Through me kings reign.”
Wisdom is the source of good rule; without it authority fails. It reminds leaders that power should be guided by wisdom.
“Per me reges regnant” word by word
| Latin | English | Grammar |
|---|---|---|
| Per | through, by means of | preposition that takes the accusative case; here it governs me |
| me | me | accusative singular of ego, “I”; the speaker is personified Wisdom |
| reges | kings | nominative plural of rex, “king”; the subject of the verb |
| regnant | reign, rule | third person plural present indicative active of regno, “I reign” |
How to pronounce “Per me reges regnant”
The two differ only in reges: the classical g is hard (RAY-gehs, with ae-style long e), while the church g before e is soft, like j. Stress falls on the first syllable of reges and regnant.
The story behind it
Word for word the line says “through me kings reign”. The speaker is not a king but Wisdom herself, who in the book of Proverbs is portrayed as a woman calling out to people in public places.
The line is Proverbs 8:15 in the Latin Vulgate, the Bible translation associated with Jerome in the late fourth century. Its claim is that those who rule well do so by means of wisdom, not merely by force or birth.
Because of this sense, the phrase was later inscribed on courts, town halls and royal buildings, as a reminder that authority is meant to be guided by wisdom.
How to use “Per me reges regnant”
It suits a dignified inscription for a library, courthouse or council chamber, a leadership award, or a motto for someone who values wise judgment in authority. Because it comes from the Bible, it fits best in a setting where that source is welcome.
- Latin
- Per me reges regnant
- English
- Through me kings reign.
- Source
- Vulgate, Proverbs 8:15
- Era
- Church Latin
- Theme
- Wisdom
Common mistakes
- The “me” is Wisdom speaking, not the author or the reader. Reading it as a personal boast, such as “I make kings reign”, misses the context.
- Per takes the accusative, so me is correct. Changing it to “ego” or “mihi” would be a grammatical error.
- The verb is plural to match reges. Changing the subject to a single king requires regnat, as in “per me rex regnat”.
- Do not assume it is a classical Roman saying. It comes from the Latin Bible, not from pagan authors.
Questions about “Per me reges regnant”
What does “Per me reges regnant” mean literally?
“Through me kings reign.” Per means “through”, me is “me”, reges is “kings” and regnant is “they reign”.
Where does “Per me reges regnant” come from?
It is Proverbs 8:15 in the Latin Vulgate, spoken by personified Wisdom.
Who is the “me” in “Per me reges regnant”?
It is Wisdom, which the book of Proverbs presents as a speaking figure.
How do you pronounce “Per me reges regnant”?
In church (Ecclesiastical) Latin: per meh REH-jehs REG-nahnt. In Classical Latin: per meh RAY-gehs REG-nahnt.
More to explore
Translation and grammar checked by Latin Quoter · last reviewed November 2026
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