Question: what is the meaning of the proverb cleanliness is next to godliness?
Answer: cleanliness is next to godliness. Being clean is a sign of spiritual purity or goodness, as in Don't forget to wash your ears—cleanliness is next to godliness. This phrase was first recorded in a sermon by John Wesley in 1778, but the idea is ancient, found in Babylonian and Hebrew religious tracts.