Listeners never hear good of themselves.

Meaning: Eavesdroppers discover harsh truths because people speak candidly when unobserved, unlike flattery offered face-to-face.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

Translations

• Spanish: Quien escucha, su mal oye (literally: Listeners hear no good of themselves)

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