The Silent and the Talkative

Admonition 15. The over-silent are to be admonished differently from those who spend their time in much talking. It should be gently suggested to the over-silent that, while they shun some vices without due thought, they are entangled, without noticing it, in worse ones. For often, from bridling the tongue too much, they suffer from a more grievous talkativeness in the heart. Their thoughts seethe all the more in the mind for being hemmed in by the violent guard of an undiscerning silence. And very often they overflow all the more widely, the safer they count themselves because they are not seen by critics outside. So a man’s mind is sometimes lifted up into pride, and he despises as weak those he hears speaking. And while he shuts the mouth of his body, he does not see how far he lays himself open to vices through his pride. He holds back his tongue, but lifts up his mind. Giving little thought to his own wickedness, he accuses everyone in his own mind all the more freely for doing it all the more secretly. [b]

The over-silent are therefore to be admonished to take anxious care to know, not only what kind of people they ought to show themselves outwardly, but also what kind they ought to show themselves inwardly; and to fear a hidden judgment on their thoughts more than the reproof of their neighbors on their words. For it is written, “My son, attend to my wisdom, and bend your ear to my prudence, so that you may guard your thoughts.” For nothing is more ready to run away than the heart, which deserts us as often as it slips away through bad thoughts. That is why the psalmist says, “My heart has failed me.” And so, when he comes back to himself, he says, “Your servant has found his heart to pray to you.” When thought is kept under guard, then, the heart that used to fly away is found.

Moreover, when the over-silent suffer some injustice, they very often come to feel the pain more keenly from not speaking of what they endure. For if the tongue told calmly of the annoyances that have been caused, the pain would drain out of their awareness. Closed sores torment the more; for when the corruption that burns within is cast out, the pain is opened up for healing. Those, then, who are silent more than is helpful ought to know this, so that, amid the annoyances they endure while they hold their tongue, they do not make the violence of their pain worse. For they are to be admonished that, if they love their neighbors as themselves, they should by no means keep from them the grounds on which they justly blame them. The medicine of the voice works together for the health of both sides: on the side of the one who does the injury, his bad conduct is checked; and on the side of the one who suffers it, the violent heat of the pain is eased by opening the sore. For those who notice what is evil in their neighbors and yet hold their tongue in silence withdraw, as it were, the help of medicine from sores they have seen. They become the causes of death, because they would not cure the poison they could have cured.

The tongue, therefore, should be curbed with discernment, not tied up fast. For it is written, “A wise man will hold his tongue until the time.” This is surely so that, when he judges the moment fit, he may give up the strict discipline of silence and devote himself to being useful by speaking what is fitting. And again it is written, “A time to keep silence, and a time to speak.” For the times for changing should be weighed with discernment. Otherwise, when the tongue ought to be held back, it may run loose in words to no profit; or, when it could speak with profit, it may hold itself back out of sloth. Considering this well, the psalmist says, “Set a watch, O Lord, on my mouth, and a door round about my lips.” For he does not ask that a wall be set on his lips, but a door, that is, something that is opened and shut. So we too ought to learn carefully, so that the voice may open the mouth with discernment at the fitting time, and silence may close it at the fitting time.

But those who spend their time in much talking, on the other hand, are to be admonished to watch carefully from what an upright state they fall away when they pour themselves out in a multitude of words. For the human mind behaves like water. When it is shut in, it gathers to higher levels, because it seeks again the height from which it came down; and when it is let loose, it falls away, because it spreads itself uselessly through the lowest places. For by as many unneeded words as it scatters itself away from the strict discipline of its silence, by so many streams, as it were, is it drawn off out of itself. So it cannot return inwardly to a knowledge of itself, because, scattered by much talking, it shuts itself out from the secret place of its inmost reflection. And it lays its whole self open to the wounds of the enemy who lies in wait, because it surrounds itself with no defense of watchfulness. That is why it is written, “Like a city that lies open and has no surrounding walls, so is a man who cannot hold back his spirit in speaking.” Because it does not have the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the enemy’s arrows; and when it throws itself out of itself by words, it shows itself exposed to the adversary. And he overcomes it with so much the less labor, as the mind itself, which is being conquered, fights against itself with the more labor by much talking. [h]

Moreover, since the idle mind very often slips by degrees into a fall, when we neglect to guard against idle words we go on to harmful ones. So at first it pleases us to talk about other people’s affairs; afterward the tongue gnaws with backbiting at the lives of those we talk about; and at last it breaks out even into open slanders. From this, pricking thorns are sown, quarrels arise, the torches of enmity are lit, and the peace of hearts is put out. That is why it is well said through Solomon, “He who lets out water is a wellspring of strife.” For to let out water is to let the tongue loose in a flood of speech. On the other hand, in a good sense, it is said again, “The words of a man’s mouth are like deep water.” So he who lets out water is a wellspring of strife, because whoever does not curb his tongue breaks up harmony. On the other hand, it is written, “He who imposes silence on a fool calms enmities.” [i]

Moreover, that anyone who gives himself to much talking cannot keep the straight way of righteousness is testified by the prophet, who says, “A man full of words will not be guided aright on the earth.” That is why Solomon also says again, “In the multitude of words sin will not be lacking.” That is why Isaiah says, “The cultivation of righteousness is silence,” showing that the righteousness of the mind is laid waste when there is no limit to immoderate speaking. That is why James says, “If anyone thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” That is why he says again, “Let everyone be quick to hear, but slow to speak.” And again, defining the power of the tongue, he adds, “An unruly evil, full of deadly poison.” That is why the Truth himself admonishes us, saying, “For every idle word that people speak, they will give account of it on the day of judgment.” For every word is idle that lacks either a reason of just necessity or the intention of devout usefulness. If, then, an account is demanded for idle talk, let us weigh well what punishment awaits much talking, in which there is also the sin of harmful words.