Thou art a bitter bird, said the raven to the starling.

The proverb points to the irony of criticizing someone for a disagreeable quality that the critic may share. The raven’s remark invites a closer look at the bird making the accusation.

It also questions the force of a judgment made without self-awareness. A complaint about another’s bitterness is less persuasive when the speaker’s own manner suggests much the same fault.

Use it as a pointed response when someone complains about another person’s sour attitude while behaving similarly. Its bird dialogue gives the criticism a wry, indirect form.