The Jewish Wisdom Database

Gossipers start with praise and end with derogation.

Even if all of a slander is not believed, half of it is.

He who overlooks an offense promotes good will; he who repeats a tale separates friends.

Gossip: nature's telephone.

The world goes on because of those who close their lips when they meet hostility from others.

Judge a man only by his own deeds and words; the opinions of others can be false.

Who mocks the poor insults his Maker; he who rejoices at their calamity will not go unpunished.

As long as I do not utter a word, I am its master; once I utter it, I am its slave.

A man of good sense guards his tongue and attends to his own affairs.

If a word be worth one shekel, silence is worth two.

Press your lips together: don't be in a hurry to answer.

I grew up among wise men and learned that nothing is better than silence.

You may regret your silence once, but you will regret your speech twice.

Guard your tongue as you treasure your wealth.

The man who slanders hurts three people: the man slandered, the man to whom the slander is uttered---and himself.

It is a duty to say what should be heard, and a duty not to say what should not be heard.

A good man who speaks evil is like a palace next to a tannery: one defect destroys all the grandeur.

Slander is in the same category with murder.

Slander is worse than weapons; for weapons hurt from near, slander from afar.

If others speak ill of you, let the worst they say seem a trifle; if you speak ill of others, let the trivial seem enormous.

God will accept repentance for all sins except one: giving another man a bad name.

Righteous lips cover up hatred; but he who lets out slander is a fool.

What is lofty can be said in any language, and what is mean should be said in none.

The worst of men is he whose tongue is mightier than his mind.

Man's chief superiority over animals is his power of speech; if he abuses it, he is no higher than they.