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One keeps silent and is thought to be wise, the other makes himself hated because of his gossiping. One remains silent because he does not know how to reply; the other keeps quiet, waiting for the right moment. The wise man keeps silent until the right moment; the chatterer and fool speak out of turn.

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More quotes by Ben Sira

Bread is life to the poor; he who takes it from them is a murderer.

Better to stumble on the ground than to make a slip with the tongue; this is how easily the wicked fall.

Few perhaps are the days of the just man’s life but an honored name endures forever.

When you experience abundance, remember the days of famine; when you enjoy riches, think of poverty and misery. Time slips by between morning and evening, all things pass quickly before the Lord.

Wine and women corrupt the best of men; whoever frequents prostitutes loses all sense of shame.

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Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Ben Sira (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.