John Adams Quotes

I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual now-a-days to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot

He that communicates his secret to another makes himself that other's slave.

The biggest guru-mantra is: never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.

To keep your secret is wisdom; to expect others to keep it is folly.

No one knows who is listening, say nothing you would not wish put in the newspapers.

If you have something that you don't want anyone to know, maybe you shouldn't be doing it in the first place.

If you reveal your secrets to the wind, you should not blame the wind for revealing them to the trees.

Give every man thy ear, but few thy voice.

Your secret is your prisoner; once you reveal it, you become its slave.

Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.

The man who can keep a secret may be wise, but he is not half as wise as the man with no secrets to keep.

Never share your secrets with anybody. It will destroy you.

Good counsel is good for him that will do thereafter.

Secrecy is essential to committee deliberations because members would be wary of exploring ideas or exchanging views if there were a substantial possibility of an embarrassing leak.

Communicate no other intelligence to Congress at large than what may be necessary to promote the common weal, not to gratify the curiosity of individuals.

Resolved, That every member of this Congress considers himself under the ties of virtue, honor, and love of his country, not to divulge, directly or indirectly, any matter or thing agitated or debated in Congress, before the same shall have been determined, without leave of the Congress; nor any matter or thing determined in Congress, which a majority of the Congress shall order to be kept secret. And that if any member shall violate this agreement, he shall be expelled this Congress, and deemed an enemy to the liberties of America, and liable to be treated as such …

All truths are not to be told.

Once exposed, a secret loses all its power.

A woman who tells her age tells everything, and I won't tell it.

Discretion is a very valuable asset.

Tell no one the secret that you want to keep, although he may be worthy of confidence; for no one will be so careful of your secret as yourself.

Sharing revelations is easier when it doesn't matter.

I won't mention any names, because I don't want to get sun4's into trouble.

Knowledge is power only as long as you keep your mouth shut.

Trust few men; above all, keep your follies to yourself.