Pride goes before a fall

Posted by ESC (U.S.) on July 02, 2004

In Reply to: Pridecomes before a fall posted by Tina Dicks on July 02, 2004

: Can anyone please give definition of this saying for my 6 yr old son's homework.

Here's what I found. But I don't know how to explain it to a six-year-old. Maybe some of the others here can help with that.

PRIDE GOES BEFORE A FALL - "If you allow yourself to become full of pride, you will find yourself humiliated. Be modest. The proverb comes from the Old Testament." From Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings by Gregory Y. Titelman (Random House, New York, 1996).

Proverbs 16:18
Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall. (King James Version)

Herman Melville "rendered essentially the modern version in 'The Piazza Tales' ." From Wise Words and Wives' Tales: The Origins, Meanings and Time-Honored Wisdom of Proverbs and Folk Sayings Olde and New; by Stuart Flexner and Doris Flexner (Avon Books, New York, 1993).

• Pride goes before a fall R. Berg 03/July/04