proverb · Words worth keeping
Confess you were wrong yesterday; it will show you are wise to-day.
Confess you were wrong yesterday; it will show you are wise to-day.
In print by 1893 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Admitting an earlier mistake can show that you have learned, rather than merely expose a weakness. Revising a judgment in response to better understanding is a sign of progress.
What the words are saying
The proverb reverses the embarrassment often associated with being wrong. A person who can acknowledge yesterday’s error may understand something today that they previously missed. The contrast values learning over the appearance of never changing one’s mind. Its practical application is to explain what was mistaken and what has changed, so other people can assess the correction. An admission alone does not establish wisdom, and repeatedly confessing the same avoidable error without changing conduct is a different matter. The useful quality is an honest response to new understanding, accompanied by whatever correction the situation requires.
Everyday example
A reviewer withdraws an objection after checking a document and explains which detail changed their assessment.
When to use it
Use it to encourage accountable revision of an earlier judgment.
What it does not mean
Repeated admissions without changed conduct do not demonstrate learning.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional proverb
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1893 AD · industrial
In print by 1893: recorded in Dictionary of Quotations (1893). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- Dictionary of Quotations (1893) (1893 AD)
Printed citation: Pr. · page_046
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.