своя рубаха ближе к телу

• СВОЙ РУБАШКА <РУБАХА> БЛИЖЕ К ТЕЛУ

[saying]

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⇒ one's own well-being (or the well-being of those dear to one) is more important than other people's interests (when said of o.s., usu. used to justify one's actions; when said of another, usu. used disapprovingly):

- - charity begins at home;

- self loves itself best;

- self comes first;

- people look out for number one;

- people look out for their own skins first;

- men value their own skins more than those (that) of others.

     ♦ ...Ни один из его клевретов - ни Бунина, ни Кулешов, ни Козловский - не подняли руку в его защиту. Почему? А потому что своя рубашка ближе к телу. Они за уважаемого только до тех пор, пока сила на его стороне (Войнович 3). ...Not one of his minions-not Bunina, not Kuleshov, not Kozlovsky - raised a hand in his defense. Why not? Why, because charity begins at home. They were for their respected colleague only as long as he had the power (3a)

     ♦ [authors usage] Просил раненый Степан: "Братцы! Не дайте пропасть! Братцы! Что ж вы меня бросаете!.." - но брызнула тут по проволоке пулеметная струя, и уползли казаки. "Станишники! Братцы!" - кричал вслед Степан, - да где уж там - своя рубашка, а не чужая к телу липнет (Шолохов 3). The wounded man had begged, "Brothers! Don't leave me to my death' How can you, brothers!" But a burst of machine-gun fire had splashed over the wire and the Cossacks made off. Stepan's imploring cry had followed them, but men value their own skins more than that of others (3a)