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Let another[a] praise you, and not your own mouth;[b]
someone else,[c] and not your own lips.

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Footnotes

  1. Proverbs 27:2 tn Heb “a stranger.” This does not necessarily refer to a non-Israelite, as has been demonstrated before in the book of Proverbs, but these are people outside the familiar and accepted circles. The point is that such a person would be objective in speaking about your abilities and accomplishments.
  2. Proverbs 27:2 sn “Mouth” and “lips” are metonymies of cause; they mean “what is said.” People should try to avoid praising themselves. Self praise can easily become a form of pride, even if it begins with trivial things. It does not establish a reputation; reputation comes from what others think about you.
  3. Proverbs 27:2 tn “a foreigner”; KJV, ASV, NASB, NRSV “a stranger.”

Let someone else praise you, and not your own mouth;
    an outsider, and not your own lips.(A)

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