“First learn the meaning of what you say, and then speak.”
Epictetus
SpeakingUnderstanding
Communication Quotes
200 FAMOUS QUOTES · COMMUNICATION
Communication Quotes
Read 200 of the best communication quotes about listening, speaking, words, silence and conversation, from Shakespeare, Confucius, Mark Twain and more.
“His character may almost be called the most effective means of persuasion he possesses.”
Aristotle
PersuasionCharacter
“Man's speech is just like his life.”
Seneca
SpeakingCharacter
“No word spoken ever did as much service as many words unspoken.”
Plutarch
SilenceWisdom
“Grasp the subject, the words will follow.”
Cato the Elder
KnowledgeSpeaking
“Silence is one of the great arts of conversation.”
Cicero
SilenceConversation
“A liar should have a good memory.”
Quintilian
HonestyFunny
“I strive to be brief, and I become obscure.”
Horace
BrevityClarity
“In language it is simply required that it convey the meaning.”
Confucius
ClarityLanguage
“They may speak when it does not come to them to speak; this is called rashness. They may not speak when it comes to them to speak; this is called concealment.”
Confucius
TimingSpeaking
“Much speech to swift exhaustion lead we see; your inner being guard, and keep it free.”
Lao Tzu
SilenceInner Peace
“Abstaining from speech marks him who is obeying the spontaneity of his nature.”
Lao Tzu
SilenceNature
“The Bhikshu who controls his mouth, who speaks wisely and calmly, who teaches the meaning and the law, his word is sweet.”
Buddha (Dhammapada)
Wise SpeechCalm
“Like a beautiful flower, full of colour, but without scent, are the fine but fruitless words of him who does not act accordingly.”
Buddha (Dhammapada)
ActionsWords
“A word spoken in due season, how good is it!”
The Bible (Proverbs 15:23)
TimingWords
“Seest thou a man that is hasty in his words? There is more hope of a fool than of him.”
The Bible (Proverbs 29:20)
PatienceSpeaking
“Whoso keepeth his mouth and his tongue keepeth his soul from troubles.”
The Bible (Proverbs 21:23)
Self-ControlWisdom
“There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.”
The Bible (Proverbs 12:18)
Power Of WordsHealing
“Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth.”
The Bible (Proverbs 27:2)
HumilitySpeaking
“Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.”
The Bible (Matthew 12:34)
HeartWords
“Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.”
The Bible (James 3:10)
WordsSelf-Control
“Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth.”
The Bible (Proverbs 26:20)
GossipPeace
“But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things.”
The Bible (Ephesians 4:15)
HonestyLove
“Except ye utter by the tongue words easy to be understood, how shall it be known what is spoken?”
The Bible (1 Corinthians 14:9)
ClarityUnderstanding
“The heart of the righteous studieth to answer.”
The Bible (Proverbs 15:28)
ThoughtfulnessListening