Luke 6:41

beholdest thou the mote The hypocrite sees(blepei) at the slightest glance the mote in his brother's eye; but not the most careful inspection enables him to observe (katanoein)the very obvious beam in his own eye. The word moteis in the original karphos, a stalk or chip, and this is also the idea of mote.Thus in Dutch motis dust of wood;in Spanish motais a flue on cloth.

the beam The entire illustration is Jewish, and was used to express impatience of just reproof (Babha Bathra, f. 15. 2) so that -mote" and -beam" became proverbial for little and great faults. The proverb also implies, -How can you seeothers" faults properly with a beam in the depth of your eye (ἔκβαλε … ἐκ, Matthew 7:5)? how dare you condemn when you are so much worse?" Comp. Chaucer (Reeve" s Prologue),

"He can wel in myn eye see a stalke

But in his owne he can nought seen a balke."