Listeners never hear good of themselves.
Meaning: Eavesdroppers discover harsh truths because people speak candidly when unobserved, unlike flattery offered face-to-face.
Origin: Already called "the old proverb" in a 1647 newsbook, which gives it as "Hearkeners never hear good of themselves," and collected by John Ray in 1678. Eavesdroppers are warned that what people say behind your back is rarely flattering.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, and German
- French: Qui écoute aux portes entend souvent sa propre honte (literally: He who listens at doors often hears his own shame)
- Spanish: Quien escucha, su mal oye (literally: Listeners hear no good of themselves)
- German: Der Horcher an der Wand hört seine eigene Schand (literally: The eavesdropper at the wall hears his own disgrace)
More proverbs about Communication
- Whom we love best to them we can say least. — Deepest affection often leaves us tongue-tied, unable to fully express what we feel most…
- Do as most do, and fewest will speak ill of thee. — Conformity to social norms shields you from criticism, though at the cost of individualit…
- Mouth civility costs little but is worth less. — Polite words without sincere intent or action provide mere surface comfort, offering no r…
- He that sends mouths sends meat. — Supporting dependents obligates one to provide their sustenance.
- The nurse's tongue is privileged to talk. — Medical expertise grants authority to speak truth about patients' conditions without soci…
- Pity, promises, and blame, are always cheap and plentiful. — Sympathy, commitments, and accusations cost nothing, so people offer them freely without…
From our compliments & insults
- T'as pas inventé le fil à couper le beurre — You're not exactly a genius — the wire to cut butter is about the most obvious tool imagi…
- Tête de mule — An impossibly stubborn person who refuses to change their mind no matter what.
- C'est une vraie chèvre — They're hopelessly stubborn and infuriating — a goat that refuses to be moved.