Is “to thine own self be true” in the Bible?

Answer

“To thine own self be true” is not found in the Bible. Whether it is a good principle to live by all depends on one’s interpretation.

“To thine own self be true” originates from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. It is a part of the counsel that the king’s advisor Polonius imparts to his son Laertes before his departure for France. The broader context (from Act I, Scene 3) is as follows:

“Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice;

Take each man’s criticism, but withhold your judgment.

Dress as well as your budget allows,

But not in an extravagant manner; elegant, not flashy;

For clothing often reflects the person,

And those in France of the highest status and position

Are of a very discerning and noble character in that regard.

Do not be a borrower or a lender;

For borrowing often results in the loss of both the money and the friend,

And borrowing diminishes the practice of thrift.

Above all else: be true to yourself,

And it will naturally follow, like night follows day,

You will then not be deceitful to anyone.”

There is a wealth of valuable advice here, much of which aligns with biblical teachings.

In essence, Polonius is advising his son to be sincere and authentic, which is generally sound guidance. By not pretending to be someone you are not, you will not come across as insincere to others. If you are a pretender, a poser, a faker, or a hypocrite, you may deceive some individuals, but eventually your true nature will be revealed—you will be unmasked. If you are authentic, you will never have to worry about being exposed. While the Bible does not explicitly state this, it does caution against hypocrisy.

Although Shakespeare was not known to be a Christian, he lived in a time when Christian values largely influenced the culture. Today, if someone adopts “to thine own self be true” as their motto, it is important to consider the full context and implications.

Apart from the overarching Christian worldview and biblical moral framework, it could become an excuse for almost any kind of bad behavior:

“I don’t love my wife anymore, but I do love my secretary. I need to be true to myself.”

“I was born a man, but I feel like a woman. I need to be true to myself.”

“I would spend more time with my kids, but I get so much more fulfillment by being successful at work. I need to be true to myself and do what I enjoy.”

“I really should get a job, but work is so boring. I think I will just hang out at the pool. I need to be true to myself.”

“I know I promised to help you, and at the time I meant it. But I just don’t feel like doing it anymore. I have to be true to myself, and I have changed my mind.”

“Being true to myself” without any context could mean that I will act sinfully or irresponsibly because it is what I really feel like doing. The Bible presents authenticity as doing what is true and right—being honest and genuine—even if you don’t feel like it or even if it is to your disadvantage.

Psalm 15:4 speaks highly of the man who “swears to his own hurt and does not change.” In this case, a person swears (promises) to do something or be truthful about something even if it is to his detriment. This is being genuine and authentic. However, the modern application of “to thine own self be true” might be that, regardless of the truth of the matter or what you may have promised in the past, you have to protect yourself, and if you have to lie or break a promise to do it, that is OK because that is being authentic—that is “your truth.”

So, “to thine own self be true” is a fine motto, as long as it is understood within the context of a Christian worldview and a biblical moral framework. If you are a Christian, being true to yourself is really being true to the person you are in Christ and being true to what He has called you to be and do «I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that yeWalk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, », (Ephesians 4:1).