Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.
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Augustine of Hippo
AD 430
If I seem arrogant to you, it is for this reason, that I bear testimony to myself. For every person, when he wishes to bear praiseworthy testimony to himself, seems arrogant and proud. So it has been written, “Let not your own mouth praise you, but let the mouth of your neighbor praise you.” .
No one crowns himself, and that person is justly ridiculed who devises praises for himself, for it is written, “Let your neighbor praise you, and not your own mouth; a stranger, and not your own lips.” Though hypocrites may be able possibly to remain undetected and thus to seize the honors that people bestow, yet God knows your hearts. The judge cannot be deceived.… He knows who steals by fraud the honor which another truly deserves. Commentary on Luke, Homily
If we did anything in those struggles for our religion that redounds to our honor in the telling, wisdom commands us to leave it to others to tell. “Let another man praise you, and not your own mouth.” And it is this very thing that our omniscient friend has not been conscious of in devoting the larger half of his book to selfglorification.
