proverb · Legacy record
People who living in glass houses should not throw stones.
People who living in glass houses should not throw stones.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying warns people in glass houses against throwing stones. Its fragile-house image questions criticism that exposes the critic’s own vulnerability.
What the words are saying
The stone can threaten the kind of structure the thrower inhabits. A useful application can examine a shared fault or double standard while still assessing the criticism on its merits. The retained grammatical wording does not need rewriting to convey the image.
Everyday example
Someone recognises a fault they share before demanding that others meet a standard they ignore.
When to use it
Use it to discuss vulnerability and consistent standards.
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What it does not mean
A critic’s vulnerability does not disprove a valid concern.
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
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 134; PDF page 23
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.