WIST Quotations

Hugo, Victor -- Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 8 “Cemeteries Take What is Given Them,” ch. 1 (2.8.1) (1862) [tr. Wilbour (1862)]

Dave — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 20:24:10 +0000

Not being heard is no reason for silence.

[N’être pas écouté, ce n’est pas une raison pour se taire.]

Victor Hugo (1802-1885) French writer
Les Misérables, Part 2 “Cosette,” Book 8 “Cemeteries Take What is Given Them,” ch. 1 (2.8.1) (1862) [tr. Wilbour (1862)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

Not to be heard is no reason why a man should hold his tongue.
[tr. Wraxall (1862)]

That one is not listened to is no reason for preserving silence.
[tr. Hapgood (1887)]

Not being heard is no reason for silence.
[tr. Wilbour/Fahnestock/MacAfee (1987)]

Not being listened to is no reason to stop talking.
[tr. Donougher (2013)]

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 382 (1725)

Dave — Wed, 31 Jul 2024 23:09:39 +0000

If thou hast not Sense enough to speak, have Wit enough to hold thy tongue.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 382 (1725)
(Source)

The basic theme here is a common one. See also Twain (spurious), the Bible, Franklin, Thomas a Kempis, and Wilson.

La Bruyere, Jean de -- The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 11 “Of Mankind [De l’Homme],” § 149 (11.149) (1688) [tr. Van Laun (1885)]

Dave — Thu, 23 Feb 2017 01:55:08 +0000

We seldom regret talking too little, but very often talking too much. This is a well-known maxim which everybody knows and nobody practices.

[L’on se repent rarement de parler peu, très souvent de trop parler: maxime usée et triviale que tout le monde sait, et que tout le monde ne pratique pas.]

Jean de La Bruyère (1645-1696) French essayist, moralist
The Characters [Les Caractères], ch. 11 “Of Mankind [De l’Homme],” § 149 (11.149) (1688) [tr. Van Laun (1885)]
(Source)

(Source (French)). Alternate translations:

We seldom repent talking too little, but very often talking too much, a common and trivial maxim which every body knows, and no body practices.
[Bullord ed. (1696) and Curll ed. (1713)]

We seldom repent talking too little, but very often talking too much; a common obsolete Maxim, which every body knows, and no body practices.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

We seldom repent of speaking little, and very often of speaking too much; a well-worn and familiar maxim, that everyone knows but that not everyone practices.
[tr. Stewart (1970)]

~Proverbs and Sayings -- Greek proverb

Dave — Thu, 13 Nov 2014 13:34:58 +0000

God gave us teeth to hold back our tongue.

Proverbs, Sayings, and Adages
Greek proverb

Lincoln, Abraham -- Speech (1862-08-06), Union (War) Meeting, US Capitol steps, Washington, D. C.

Dave — Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:08:47 +0000

I am very little inclined on any occasion to say anything unless I hope to produce some good by it.

Abraham Lincoln (1809-1865) American lawyer, politician, US President (1861-65)
Speech (1862-08-06), Union (War) Meeting, US Capitol steps, Washington, D. C.
(Source)

As reported by the New York Times the following day.

Levi, Primo -- The Drowned and the Saved, ch. 8 “Letters from Germans” (1986) [tr. Rosenthal (1888)]

Dave — Thu, 31 Jul 2014 12:39:16 +0000

The true crime, the collective, general crime of almost all Germans of that time was that of lacking the courage to speak.

Primo Levi (1919-1987) Italian Jewish chemist and writer
The Drowned and the Saved, ch. 8 “Letters from Germans” (1986) [tr. Rosenthal (1888)]
(Source)

Regarding the Third Reich and the Holocaust.

Wilcox, Ella Wheeler -- Poem (1914), “Protest,” ll. 1-2, Poems of Problems

Dave — Mon, 21 Nov 2005 15:51:13 +0000

To sin by silence, when we should protest,
Makes cowards out of men.

Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) American author, poet, temperance advocate, spiritualist
Poem (1914), “Protest,” ll. 1-2, Poems of Problems
(Source)

Often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln, after Douglas MacArthur did so in a 1950 speech.

See Confucius.

Colton, Charles Caleb -- Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 183 (1820)

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

When you have nothing to say, say nothing; a weak defense strengthens your opponent, and silence is less injurious than a bad reply.

Charles Caleb "C. C." Colton (1780-1832) English cleric, writer, aphorist
Lacon: Or, Many Things in Few Words, Vol. 1, § 183 (1820)
(Source)

Emerson, Ralph Waldo -- Essay (1841), “Friendship,” Essays: First Series, No. 6

Dave — Sun, 01 Feb 2004 16:00:00 +0000

Let us be silent, — so we may hear the whisper of the gods.

Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) American essayist, lecturer, poet
Essay (1841), “Friendship,” Essays: First Series, No. 6
(Source)

Sometimes misquoted as "whispers of the gods."