Speech is silver, silence is golden.言语是银,沉默是金。
金比银贵重,所以沉默比讲话更宝贵;如果没有把握,与其开口,不如沉默。同样意思的谚语还有:
There is a time to speak and a time to be silent.
该说话时就说话,该沉默时就沉默。
A wise head makes a close mouth.
不开口是聪明人。
No wisdom like silence.
聪明莫过于沉默。
从以上谚语可以联系到《论语》中孔子的几句话:“可与言而不与之言,失人;不可与言而与之言,失言。智者不失人,亦不失言。”
近似意思的谚语还可参阅其他各条:A wise man thinks all that he says; a fool says all that he thinks.及He knows much who knows how to hold his tongue.