As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Who knows himself a braggart, Let him fear this; for it will come to pass That every braggart will be found an ass.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Self-awareness is crucial; those who boast may reveal their own foolishness.
This quote by Shakespeare warns against the danger of arrogance and boasting. It implies that individuals who are overly proud or who frequently brag about their accomplishments may ultimately expose their own shortcomings and foolishness, suggesting that humility is a more admirable trait than vanity.
Themes
BraggartHumilitySelf-AwarenessFoolishnessArrogance
In practice
Example use cases
During a presentation, to remind the audience about the importance of humility.
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Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
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Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
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