It’s better to keep your mouth shut and appear stupid, than to open it and remove all doubt.
Mark Twain (1835-1910) American writer [pseud. of Samuel Clemens]
(Spurious)
This quotation, and close variants, are frequently attributed to Twain or Abraham Lincoln, but appears to have first been phrased this way by Maurice Switzer, Mrs. Goose, Her Book (1906):It is better to remain silent at the risk of being thought a fool, than to talk and remove all doubt of it.
Another point of origin is in the Bible, Proverbs 17:28:Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.
In short, the sentiment is not new. See also See also Fuller, Franklin, Thomas a Kempis, and Wilson. For more discussion, see:
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Read this: https://quotationize.com/keep-your-mouth-shut-and-appear-stupid-not-by-abraham-lincoln-or-mark-twain/
Thanks! I’ve added that link as a further reference, and done some further clean-up and linking in the explanations. Appreciate the info!
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