He hath a good judgment who is apt to distrust his own.
Meaning: Self-doubt in judgment reveals wisdom; overconfidence in one's own reasoning breeds folly and error.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Morality
- Just is honest, and honest is just. — Integrity and fairness are inseparable—acting justly requires honesty, and honesty demand…
- Knavery may serve for a turn, but honesty is best in the long run. — Dishonest shortcuts yield temporary gains but ultimately destroy trust and prosperity.
- When knaves fall out, true men come by their goods. — Dishonest people's conflicts create opportunities for honest people to acquire what was w…
- Fair and softly as lawyers go to heaven. — Lawyers proceed toward virtue so rarely and reluctantly that the journey becomes impossib…
- A liar should have a good memory. — Falsehoods require constant mental effort to maintain consistency, making deception exhau…
- The greater truth, the greater libel. — Truth's harshness wounds deeper when it exposes powerful lies or uncomfortable realities…
From our idioms
- på hal is — In a precarious or dangerous situation that one cannot control or easily escape.
- högt spel — A risky venture or pursuit involving substantial stakes and danger.
- ta sig friheten — To take a liberty or privilege that one has not been explicitly granted.