Proverbs 27:2
in Proverbs 27Let another praise you, and not your own mouth—a stranger, and not your own lips.
BSB
The same verse in ASV and KJV ▾
ASV
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; A stranger, and not thine own lips.
KJV
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
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This verse in Proverbs 27
Commentary
9 notes on this verseNo one crowns himself, and that person is justly ridiculed who devises praises for himself, for it is written, "Let your neighbor praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips." Though hypocrites may be able possibly to remain undetected and thus to seize the honors that people bestow, yet God knows your hearts. The judge cannot be deceived.… He knows who steals by fraud the honor which another truly deserves.
This site's exposition
Do not boast about tomorrow
on Proverbs 27:1-2
"Do not boast about tomorrow" sits beside "Let another praise you" as two forms of one restraint. Neither the future nor his own worth belongs to the speaker to claim. Verse 2 turns humility toward praise, since worth is proved by another's mouth and self-praise shows the pride it denies.
This site's exposition
Let another praise you
Verse 1 forbids boasting about tomorrow; verse 2 forbids boasting about oneself. Cyril of Alexandria says no one crowns himself, and the man who composes his own praises is rightly mocked. John Gill adds that a man should do what is worth praising and leave the praise to other lips.
The record, by era
The Church Fathers2 voices
If I seem arrogant to you, it is for this reason, that I bear testimony to myself. For every person, when he wishes to bear praiseworthy testimony to himself, seems arrogant and proud. So it has been written, "Let not your own mouth praise you, but let the mouth of your neighbor praise you."
Amidst the details of that melancholy history we should be forced to make mention of ourselves; and if we did anything in those struggles for our religion that redounds to our honour in the telling, Wisdom commands us to leave it to others to tell. "Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth;" and it is this very thing that our omniscient friend has not been conscious of in devoting the larger half of his book to self-glorification.
The Puritans and the Awakening1 voice
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth,.... Men should do those things which are praiseworthy; and should do them openly, that they may be seen and praised for them: for it is honourable to have such a character as Demetrius had, who had a good report of all men; and as the brother had, whose praise in the Gospel was in all the churches.
The Nineteenth Century2 voices
Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth - We have a similar proverb, which illustrates this: “Self-praise is no commendation.”
A commentator
Albert Barnes1798–1870
Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869)
proposed
Another - An “alienus” rather than “alius.” Praise to be worth anything must be altogether independent.
1 more voice on this verse
Modern Voices1 voice
There is no subtle spiritual evil in the fact that people always brag about their vices; it is when they begin to brag about their virtues that they become insufferable.
How the passage was read
What the Jewish commentators add
On the verses either side of this one
Do not boast Do not boast now concerning a thing that is destined to be tomorrow.
This section is reception history: how the passage was read and kept in the Jewish tradition. Where a reading parts from an essential of the Christian faith, the section says so at that point.
Texts and citation data: Sefaria; each excerpt follows its version’s licence. 3 further sources are cited on this chapter that carry no English text this site may quote or only restate the verse.
The words behind it
7 Hebrew wordsEvery Hebrew word of this verse in the order it stands, with what it means and the door to its own study. The last column counts the times a word stands in the whole Bible: the rarer the word, the more the places it appears belong together.
| Hebrew | Sound | Meaning | Word study | In the Bible |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| יְהַלֶּלְךָ֣ | yehalelkha | may he praise you | H1984 → | 165 times |
| זָ֣ר | zar | a stranger | H2114 → | 77 times |
| וְלֹא־ | velo'- | and not | H3808 → | 5168 times |
| פִ֑יךָ | fikha | own mouth your | H6310 → | 498 times |
| נָ֝כְרִ֗י | nakheri | a foreigner | H5237 → | 45 times |
| וְאַל־ | veal- | and may not | H408 → | 724 times |
| שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃ | sefateikha | own lips your | H8193 → | 176 times |
יְהַלֶּלְךָ֣may he praise you
yehalelkhaH1984 →165 times
זָ֣רa stranger
zarH2114 →77 times
וְלֹא־and not
velo'-H3808 →5168 times
פִ֑יךָown mouth your
fikhaH6310 →498 times
נָ֝כְרִ֗יa foreigner
nakheriH5237 →45 times
וְאַל־and may not
veal-H408 →724 times
שְׂפָתֶֽיךָ׃own lips your
sefateikhaH8193 →176 times
A shaded row is a word that stands 400 times or fewer in the Bible.
The walk
8 stopsEach card is a verse this one points to, and under it the verses that one points to in turn. Where several paths arrive at the same place, that place is listed first: the text keeps returning to it.
Through
2 Corinthians 10:12We do not dare to classify or compare ourselves with some who commend themselves. When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they show their ignorance.
it leads to
- Proverbs 26:12
Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.
- 2 Corinthians 10:18
For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
- Luke 18:11
The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.
- Romans 15:18
I will not presume to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obedience by word and deed,
- Proverbs 25:27
It is not good to eat too much honey or to search out one’s own glory.
- Proverbs 26:12
Through
2 Corinthians 10:18For it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.
it leads to
- Proverbs 21:2
All a man’s ways seem right to him, but the LORD weighs the heart.
- Luke 16:15
So He said to them, “You are the ones who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts. For what is prized among men is detestable before God.
- 1 Corinthians 4:5
Therefore judge nothing before the appointed time; wait until the Lord comes. He will bring to light what is hidden in darkness and will expose the motives of men’s hearts. At that time each…
- Proverbs 21:2
Where this verse is studied
On this page
About Proverbs
This page draws on 9 works. Open the list of works
This page draws on Adam Clarke, Commentary on the Bible; Albert Barnes, Notes, Explanatory and Practical, on the Old and New Testaments (1832-1869); Augustine of Hippo, TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 36:3.2; Charles Bridges, An Exposition of the Book of Proverbs; Cyril of Alexandria, COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 110; GK Chesterton, Tremendous Trifles, Some Policemen and a Moral (1909); Gregory of Nyssa, AGAINST EUNOMIUS 1:12; John Gill, Exposition of the Old Testament (1748-1763) and Matthew Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible.