Pride goes before a fall

Pride goes before a fall

Pride goes before a fall is a paraphrase of an ancient Hebrew proverb, designed to warn that pride will often cause one to fall or fail. Another variant on this quotation is "Pride comes before the fall".

Overview

The full text of Proverbs 16:18: "Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall." (New International Version) (Hebrew: לפני-שבר גאון, ולפני כשלון גבה רוח

[http://kodesh.snunit.k12.il/i/tr/t2816.htm] )

*If interpreted as a warning against sin, this proverb refers to the tendency of the prideful soul to forget about its dependence on and subordinate position to God. This may be considered the traditional (sacred) interpretation of the passage.

*If interpreted as a warning against hubris, this proverb could refer to the tendency of pride to encourage one to assume abilities based on supposed success at other, possibly unrelated, activities. This may be considered the modern (secular) interpretation of the passage.

In Literature

This phrase is also the moral of the story The Nun's Priest's Tale by Geoffrey Chaucer.

'Pride Before the Fall' is also the title of episode 100-512 of Andromeda, originally aired January 21, 2005. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andromeda_episodes] [http://www.tv.com/andromeda/pride-before-the-fall/episode/384438/summary.html]

In Music

The Beatles reference the phrase in their 1964 song I'm a Loser.

Sweet (band) reference the phrase in their 1978 song Love is Like Oxygen.

Elliott Yamin references the phrase in his 2007 song Find a Way.

Relient K references the phrase in their song Benediction with the lyric "I know that pride and summertime come before fall."

Powderfinger references the phrase in their song Up & Down & Back Again from their album Odyssey Number Five

ee also

*Hubris
*Victory Disease


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  • Pride goes before a fall —  is wrong. The quotation, from Proverbs, is Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall …   Bryson’s dictionary for writers and editors

  • pride comes before a fall — pride comes/goes before a ˈfall idiom (saying) if you have too high an opinion of yourself or your abilities, sth will happen to make you look stupid Main entry: ↑prideidiom …   Useful english dictionary

  • pride comes before a fall — ► pride goes (or comes) before a fall proverb if you re too self important, something will happen to make you look foolish. Main Entry: ↑pride …   English terms dictionary

  • Pride — is a lofty view of one s self or one s own. Pride often manifests itself as a high opinion of one s nation (national pride), ethnicity (ethnic pride), or appearance and abilities (vanity). Pride is considered a negative attribute by most major… …   Wikipedia

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  • pride — I (New American Roget s College Thesaurus) Sense of self worth Nouns 1. pride, hauteur; dignity, self respect, self esteem, self sufficiency, reserve. 2. (sympton of pride) arrogance, insolence; ostentation; vanity, vainglory, crest, airs, high… …   English dictionary for students

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