expression
take care of yourself before you take care of others
Proverb advising that one should address one's own problems before trying to help others with theirs. Literally: 'Rather than chasing away someone else's flies, chase away your own flies.'
「人の蠅を追うより己の蠅を追え」という諺がある。
There is a proverb that says, 'Take care of yourself before you take care of others.'
A similar proverb with the same meaning, literally 'Chase away the flies on your own head.'
A traditional Japanese proverb. The exact origin is uncertain, but it uses the metaphor of flies as annoyances to convey the importance of self-improvement before helping others.