ang sayop sa uban, himatngonan, apan ang imo, pagatabonan

== Cebuano == === Etymology === Literally: "The mistakes of others are carefully noticed, but your own are covered up." === Proverb === ang sayop sa uban, himatngonan, apan ang imo, pagatabonan You see the faults of others clearly, but you cover up your own; people are quick to judge others while remaining blind to their own shortcomings. A traditional proverb addressing human hypocrisy and cognitive bias, warning against the natural tendency to scrutinize and gossip about the mistakes of peers while actively concealing or excusing one's own flaws. ==== Usage notes ==== The Dual Mechanics of Hypocrisy: This proverb splits human social observation into two opposing, simultaneous actions: Hyper-Vigilance Toward Others (Himatngonan): It highlights how people act like eagle-eyed inspectors when watching their neighbors, friends, or rivals. Every minor slip-up, moral failing, or procedural error is instantly detected, remembered, and often broadcast to the community. Deliberate Concealment of Self (Pagatabonan): At the exact same time, when it comes to their own glaring errors, lapses in judgment, or toxic behaviors, people immediately switch to a defensive mode. They throw an emotional or social "blanket" over the issue, making excuses, denying accountability, or hiding the evidence to protect their pride. Social Context and Confrontation: This maxim is used as a sharp reality check or a verbal mirror. It is commonly deployed to shut down gossips (Marites), hyper-critical family members, or self-righteous critics. When someone is loudly pointing out a coworker's or neighbor's mistakes, a wise onlooker will quote this proverb to tell them to stop deflecting and instead audit their own behavior. Psychological Resonance: It serves as a direct linguistic parallel to the biblical metaphor of noticing the speck in a brother's eye while ignoring the plank in one's own. In Cebuano culture, it promotes the values of pagpaubos (humility) and pagsusi sa kaugalingon (self-examination) over pagpakaaron-ingnon (hypocrisy). ==== Related terms ==== sayop (error; mistake; wrong) matngon (to notice; watch out; be aware) tabon (cover; lid; to conceal) hinawayon (judgmental; fault-finder; hyper-critical person)