Literal translation
each for his own skin
Meaning
every man for himself
Explanation
This proverb condenses in a few words a widespread selfish attitude, in which everyone looks only after their own survival with no regard for the fate of others. The literal image, the skin, stands by metonymy for life itself, the most basic bodily integrity: saving one's skin means saving what is most precious and most immediate, ahead of any moral or communal consideration. The proverb describes a crisis or a dangerous situation in which the usual bonds of solidarity give way to individual self-preservation, everyone retreating into their own interest alone. It is used both to describe a behaviour observed with resignation or bitterness and to justify in advance a selfish decision one is about to make. The register is common and sententious, typical of the short formulas meant to condense a general observation about human nature. The proverb echoes directly the next one in this set, which nuances the point by proposing that care for oneself and one's own legitimately begins at home.