Robert Christy, comp. Proverbs, Maxims and Phrases of All Ages. 1887.
Speech
A man may say too much even on the best of subjects.
A man never speaks of himself without loss.Montaigne.
A man of all tongue is dangerous in his city.
A soft speech has its poison.Publius Syrus.
As a vessel is known by the sound whether it is cracked or not, so men are proved by their speeches whether they be wise or foolish.Demosthenes.
As the man so is his speech.Danish.
Hasty speeches commit men to foolish courses.Wigglesworth.
He who says what he likes hears what he does not like.Spanish.
Honeyed speech often conceals poison and gall.Danish.
If thou speakest what thou wilt, thou shalt hear what thou wouldst not.Bias.
It is better to say nothing than not enough.Latin.
It is good speaking that improves good silence.Dutch.
It is more necessary to guard the mouth than the chest.German.
It is one thing to speak much and another to speak pertinently.
Many speak much that cannot speak well.
Men speak to each other by words, animals by signs.Russian.
Much speaking and lying are cousins.German.
No speech good but of God.
None speak false when there is none to hear.Beattie.
One may say too much even upon the best subject.
One may think what he dare not speak.
Some that speak no ill of any, do no good to any.
Spare to speak and spare to speed.French.
Speak little and to the purpose and you will pass for somebody.Portuguese.
Speak little of your ill luck and boast not of your good luck.Danish.
Speak little, speak truth, spend little, pay cash.German.
Speak little with others, much with thyself.German.
Speak me fair and think what you will.
Speak not against the sun; i.e., argue not against what is clear.
Speak well even to bad men.
Speak well of the dead.
Speak well of thy friends, be silent as to thy enemies.German.
Speak well of your friend, of your enemy neither well nor ill.Italian.
Speak what you will, men will turn it ill.
Speak when you are spoken to, come when you are called.
Speaking evil of one another is the fifth element men are made up of.
Speaking without thinking is shooting without taking aim.
Speech is the gift of all, but thought of few.Cato.
Speech is the picture of the mind.
Speech was given to man to conceal his thoughts. (Dialogue XIV. Le Chapon et la Poularde, Voltaire.)Talleyrand.
The manner of speaking is as important as the matter.Chesterfield.
Though the speaker be a fool, let the hearer be wise.Spanish.
Two ears to one tongue, therefore hear twice as much as you speak.Turkish.
When a’ men speak, nae man hears.
When a man is not known when he speaks he is not believed.Italian.
Who says little has little to answer for.German.
Who says what he likes shall hear what he does not like.
Who speaks sows, who listens reaps.French.
Who speaks two languages is a double man.German.