# Pride Goes Before a Fall -- Why not During or After? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 15, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441 "2003-11-15T17:17:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/1 "2003-11-15T17:17:37Z")
“Pride goes before a fall” Wouldn’t your pride take a beating while you’re falling or after you’ve fallen on your ass? What does this little homily mean? ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/2 "2003-11-15T17:22:45Z")
No, it means that pride comes before a fall. See, you’re going along, doing fine, then you get proud, you get that old Greek _hubris_, and then fate comes along and knocks you on your ass. You know, like the builders of the Titanic said “Nothing can sink this ship” and then, first trip out, it sunk. And it’s a proverb, btw, not a homily. Actually, it’s from the Book of Proverbs in the bible: > [@](#): > > Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall. ---
**Author:** ![SnoopyFan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d07c76/32.png) [@SnoopyFan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnoopyFan)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/3 "2003-11-15T17:24:28Z")
I think that verse means that your pride swells up, then you fall. In other words, if you start thinking too highly about yourself, beware because you’re about to get knocked down a peg or two. ---
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/4 "2003-11-15T17:57:42Z")
Oh, I see… “Pride comes before a fall” would be more of a Modern English translation. And definitely explains the meaning better, to me anyway. Thanks. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/5 "2003-11-15T17:57:56Z")
It’s like this: _Prideful Person_: Look at me! I am so great! I am so smart! I am so- _Reality_: **WHOMP!** Wouldn’t make much sense the other way around, would it? ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 5:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/6 "2003-11-15T17:58:17Z")
I think what the Bible means by “pride” is what we nowadays call “arrogance.” Rather than good pride, being confident and unashamed of ourselves. ---
**Author:** ![singersargent](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/edb3f5/32.png) [@singersargent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singersargent)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/7 "2003-11-15T18:10:14Z")
Yes, that seems more exact. “Arrogance comes before a fall.” I think the word Denial could also be substituted, but then again, so could many other states of being. Gracias. ---
**Author:** ![Walloon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/fbc32d/32.png) [@Walloon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walloon)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/8 "2003-11-15T18:19:17Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Captain Amazing \* > **You know, like the builders of the Titanic said “Nothing can sink this ship” and then, first trip out, it sunk.** The builders did not claim that. The popular press did. ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_T](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Gary\_T](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_T)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 6:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/9 "2003-11-15T18:42:21Z")
Goes before = precedes = leads to. ---
**Author:** ![quiltguy154](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/ad7895/32.png) [@quiltguy154](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/quiltguy154)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2003, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/pride-goes-before-a-fall-why-not-during-or-after/213441/10 "2003-11-15T22:27:17Z")
I believe the proper quote is: “Pride goeth before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.” It’s from the Book of Proverbs, Chapter 16, verse 18.