A dictionary of Proverbs (Oxford Paperback Reference)

1605 J. HALL Meditations I. 109 For a Prince.. is a sure axiome, Diuide and rule. 1732 SWIFT Poems III. 805 As Machiavel taught ’em, divide and ye govern. 1907 Spectator 20 Apr. 605 The cynical maxim of ‘Divide and rule’ has never clouded our relations with the daughter-States. 1979 D. WILLIAMS Genesis & Exodus ii. Matters concerning the estate were put in the hands of a secretary and a steward who were responsible not to Benson but to the Governors. But ‘divide and rule’ was not in his nature. "power; rulers and ruled

divided see a HOUSE divided cannot stand; UNITED we stand, divided we fall.
divine see to ERR is human (to forgive divine); on SAINT Thomas the Divine kill all turkeys, geese, and swine.
DO as I say, not as I do
Cf. MATTHEW xxiii. 3 (AV) Do not ye after their works: for they say, and do not.

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  a 1100 in N. R. Ker Anglo-Saxons (1959) 277 Ac theah ic wyrs do thonne ic the lrere ne do thu na swa swa ic do, ac do swa ic the lrere gyf ic the wel lrere [Although I do worse than I teach you, do not do as I do, but do as I teach you if I teach you well]. 1546 J. HEYWOOD Dialogue of Proverbs II. V. H4^V It is as folke dooe, and not as folke say. 1689 J. SELDON Table-Talk 45 Preachers say, Do as I say, not as I do. 1911 Spectator 24 June 957 It has always been considered allowable to say.. to children, ‘Do as I say, rather than as I do.’ 1979 D. CLARK Heberden’s Seat v. I saw you spooning sugar into coffee. .. Do as I say, not as I do. 2001 Spectator 4 Aug. 28 Do as I say, not as I do. The government’s White Paper on competition is a bad example in itself, for why should there only be one of it? ■hypocrisy; words and deeds
  

DO as you would be done by
A pithier form of DO unto others as you would they should do unto you. The forms are sometimes mixed, e.g. quot. 1991.

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  c 1596 A. MUNDAY et al. Sir Thomas More 9 A [he] saies trewe: letts do as we may be doon by. 1747 CHESTERFIELD Letter 16 Oct. (1932) III. 1035 ‘Do as you would be done by,’ is the surest method that I know of pleasing. 1863 C. KINGSLEY Water Babies v. I shall grow as handsome as my sister.. the loveliest fairy in the world;.. her name is Mrs. Doasyouwouldbedoneby. 1928 ‘J. J. CONNINGTON’ Mystery at Lynden Sands viii. ‘Do unto others as you’d be done by’ is my motto. 1965 M. FRAYN Tin Men i. ‘Always treat a man as you would wish to be treated yourself. .. ‘’Do as you would be done by.’ ‘It’s good human relations. .. ‘ Mr. Vulgurian paused and stroked his hair, doing to it as he would be done by. 1991 T. MO Redundancy of Courage xxix. 394 ‘Do unto others as you would be done by’ was a more positive social prescription of societies like Toronto. ■ reciprocity; society