Guard Your Tongue

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.” – Plato

Guard your tongue. Tame it. Bind it with chains if necessary. It is often an unruly and destructive force, capable of spewing venomous words and foolish nonsense. Speaking without knowledge not only leads to embarrassment but also tarnishes your character and credibility.

It is unwise to speak on matters you know little or nothing about. An unrestrained tongue defiles you far more than silence ever could. Better to bite your tongue and draw blood than to let loose unwise, unfounded words. Even when you have some knowledge, speaking impulsively can expose your ignorance, confirming you as an ignorant fool.

“It is better to remain silent and be thought wise than to speak and remove all doubt.” If you must speak, train your tongue to say, “I don’t know,” or, “I don’t have an opinion on that.” This simple restraint demonstrates wisdom, humility, and self-awareness.

Do not think this effort to be trivial. Society already suffers from an epidemic of noise—uninformed voices muddying discourse and spreading confusion. Don’t add to the chaos. Speak only when you can improve the silence, and you will stand apart in a world filled with rambling fools.