proverb · Source-linked selection
Never sound the trumpet of your own praise.
Never sound the trumpet of your own praise.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Do not make exaggerated announcements of your own merits. Sounding a trumpet turns self-praise into a loud public performance.
What the words are saying
The image criticises making one’s own qualities the centre of attention. A person can describe their work accurately without staging it as proof of superiority. The saying can encourage modesty, especially when self-congratulation displaces acknowledgment of others. It should not silence someone who needs to explain an achievement, seek an opportunity or correct an unfair account. A careful reading distinguishes truthful, proportionate self-description from a boast that demands admiration.
Everyday example
A speaker explains a completed task and credits collaborators instead of making the occasion an extended celebration of themselves.
When to use it
Use it to question boastful display rather than all mention of achievement.
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What it does not mean
People may reasonably describe their contributions and advocate for themselves.
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
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1283 · Praise
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English