WIST Quotations

Bible, Vol. 1. Old Testament -- Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 5ff (Sir 20:5–7) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

Dave — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 17:44:56 +0000

Some people are thought to be wise because they don’t talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much. Some people keep quiet because they don’t have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak. A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn’t know when that time is.

[ἔστιν σιωπῶν εὑρισκόμενος σοφός,
καὶ ἔστιν μισητὸς ἀπὸ πολλῆς λαλιᾶς.
ἔστιν σιωπῶν, οὐ γὰρ ἔχει ἀπόκρισιν,
καὶ ἔστιν σιωπῶν εἰδὼς καιρόν.
ἄνθρωπος σοφὸς σιγήσει ἕως καιροῦ,
ὁ δὲ λαπιστὴς καὶ ἄφρων ὑπερβήσεται καιρόν.]

The Bible (The Old Testament) (14th - 2nd C BC) Judeo-Christian sacred scripture [Tanakh, Hebrew Bible], incl. the Apocrypha (Deuterocanonicals)
Book 22b. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 20: 5ff (Sir 20:5–7) [tr. GNT (1992 ed.)]

More on the history and acceptance of this Apocryphal book here and here.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

There is one that keepeth silence, and is found wise: and another by much babbling becometh hateful.
Some man holdeth his tongue, because he hath not to answer: and some keepeth silence, knowing his time.
wise man will hold his tongue till he see opportunity: but a babbler and a fool will regard no time.
[tr. KJV (1611)]

There is one that holdeth his peace, that is found wise: and there is another that is hateful, that is bold in speech.
There is one that holdeth his peace, because he knoweth not what to say: and there is another that holdeth his peace, knowing the proper time.
A wise man will hold his peace till he see opportunity: but a babbler, and a fool, will regard no time.
[tr. DRA (1899)]

There is the man who keeps quiet and is considered wise,
another incurs hatred for talking too much.
There is the man who keeps quiet, not knowing how to answer,
another keeps quiet, because he knows when to speak.
A wise man will keep quiet till the right moment,
but a garrulous fool will always misjudge it.
[tr. JB (1966); NJB (1985)]

There are people who are silent
and are found to be wise,
and there are those who are hated
because they talk a lot.
There are those who keep silent
because they have nothing to say
in response,
and there are those who keep silent
because they know the right time.
Wise people keep silent
until the proper moment,
but those who swagger and are senseless will miss the right moment.
[tr. CEB (2011)]

Some people keep silent and are found to be wise,
while others are detested for being talkative.
Some people keep silent because they have nothing to say,
while others keep silent because they know when to speak.
The wise remain silent until the right moment,
but the arrogant and the fool miss the right moment.
[tr. NRSV (2021 ed.)]

Martin, Judith -- “Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2014-11-04)

Dave — Mon, 20 Oct 2025 16:18:10 +0000

Part of the skill of saying no is to shut up afterward and not babble on, offering material for an argument.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
“Miss Manners,” syndicated column (2014-11-04)

Doyle, Arthur Conan -- “The Adventure of the Creeping Man,” Strand Magazine (Mar 1923)

Dave — Thu, 11 Mar 2021 22:50:12 +0000

It was one Sunday evening early in September of the year 1903 that I received one of Holmes’s laconic messages: “Come at once if convenient — if inconvenient come all the same. S.H.'”

Arthur Conan Doyle (1859–1930) British writer and physician
“The Adventure of the Creeping Man,” Strand Magazine (Mar 1923)

Reprinted in The Case-Book of Sherlock Holmes (1927).

Parker, Robert -- Pastime (1991)

Dave — Wed, 12 Apr 2017 13:55:36 +0000

Everyone stood still, not knowing what to say. Except me. I knew what I should say, which was nothing. And I kept saying it.

Robert B. Parker (1932–2010) American writer
Pastime (1991)

François de Sales -- (Attributed)

Dave — Fri, 06 May 2016 18:57:46 +0000

The more you say, the less people remember.
The fewer the words, the greater the profit.

François de Sales (1567–1622) French bishop, saint, writer [a.k.a. Francis de Sales, b. François de Boisy]
(Attributed)

In S.A. Bent, comp., Familiar Short Sayings of Great Men (1887). Usually attributed, due to structure of that reference, to Francois Fénelon.

Osler, William -- Counsels and Ideals from the Writings of William Osler (1905)

Dave — Mon, 17 Nov 2014 13:44:42 +0000

Things cannot always go your way. Learn to accept in silence the minor aggravations, cultivate the gift of taciturnity and consume your own smoke with an extra draught of hard work, so that those about you may not be annoyed with the dust and soot of your complaints.

Sir William Osler (1849–1919) Canadian physician
Counsels and Ideals from the Writings of William Osler (1905)

~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.

As reported by the New York Times the following day.

Hubbard, Kin -- Abe Martin’s Almanack, “January” (1908)

Dave — Thu, 02 Oct 2014 12:37:09 +0000

If everbuddy thought before they spoke ther wouldn’t be enough noise in this world t’ scare a jaybird.

[If everybody thought before they spoke there wouldn’t be enough noise in this world to scare a jaybird.]

Frank McKinney "Kin" Hubbard (1868–1930) American caricaturist and humorist
Abe Martin’s Almanack, “January” (1908)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 1820 (1732)

Dave — Thu, 25 Sep 2014 12:44:33 +0000

He cannot speak well, that cannot hold his Tongue.

Thomas Fuller (1654–1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 1820 (1732)

Burgh, James -- The Dignity of Human Nature, Sec. 5 “Miscellaneous Thoughts on Prudence in Conversation” (1754)

Dave — Thu, 14 Aug 2014 13:14:53 +0000

Men repent speaking ten times, for once that they repent keeping silence.

James Burgh (1714–1775) British politician and writer
The Dignity of Human Nature, Sec. 5 “Miscellaneous Thoughts on Prudence in Conversation” (1754)

Bacon, Francis -- De Augmentis Scientiarum [Advancement of Learning], Book 6, ch. 3, Antitheses #31 “Loquacity” (1605)

Dave — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 13:19:23 +0000

Silence is the sleep that nourishes wisdom.

Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English philosopher, scientist, author, statesman
De Augmentis Scientiarum [Advancement of Learning], Book 6, ch. 3, Antitheses #31 “Loquacity” (1605)

Durant, William James -- NY World-Telegram & Sun (6 Jun 1958)

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

One of the lessons of history is that nothing is often a good thing to do and always a clever thing to say.

William James (Will) Durant (1885–1981) American historian, teacher, philosopher
NY World-Telegram & Sun (6 Jun 1958)