Plutarch Quotes

We seldom repent talking little, but very often talking too much.

Do not let one's tongue outrun one's sense.

Let there be a door to thy mouth, that it may be shut when need arises, and let it be carefully barred, that none may rouse thy voice to anger, and thou pay back abuse with abuse.

There are many men whose tongues might govern multitudes if they could govern their tongues.

Men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues, and can moderate their desires more than their words.

Let your thoughts be abundant, but let your mouth be under restraint.

Listen! Clam up your mouth and be silent like an oyster shell, for that tongue of yours is the enemy of the soul, my friend. When the lips are silent, the heart has a hundred tongues.

I need to control my mouth.

To be silent is sometimes an art, yet not so great a one as certain people would have us believe, who are wisest they are most silent.

While thou livest keep a good tongue in thy head.

Surely human affairs would be far happier if the power in men to be silent were the same as that to speak. But experience more than sufficiently teaches that men govern nothing with more difficulty than their tongues.

To many men well-fitting doors are not set on their tongues.

The wise who control their body, who control their tongue, the wise who control their mind, are indeed well controlled.

Isn’t that what it means to be civilized? That you can wait to get what you want?

I'm someone who thinks that where there's a void, I need to fill it, but I'm trying to have patience and a little bit of discipline.

Be not thy tongue thy own shame's orator.

For God's sake, have some self-respect and do not run off at the mouth if your brain is out to lunch.

If we are silent when we should speak, we are not living the Discipline of silence. If we speak when we should be silent, we again miss the mark.

Keep skid chains on your tongue. Say less than you think. Cultivate a pleasant voice. How you say it is often more important than what you say.

I lack what the English call character, by which they mean the power to refrain.

Those who walk in the Way should avoid sensualism as those who carry hay would avoid coming near the fire.

Who contains himself goes seldom wrong.

I've learned to check the hasty words that rise to my lips, and when I feel that they mean to break out against my will, I just go away for a minute, and give myself a little shake for being so weak and wicked.

I learned a lot about humility and patience, keeping my mouth shut.

Moderation is a fear of falling into that envy and contempt which those who grow giddy with their good fortune quite justly draw upon themselves. It is a vain boasting of the greatness of our mind.