ProverbCommunication
English origin
English originThink much, speak little, and write less.
Meaning: Excessive speech and writing scatter thought; silence preserves wisdom's clarity and power.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and Italian
French: Pense moult, parle peu, écris moins (literally: Think much, say little, write less)
Spanish: El silencio es oro (literally: Silence is gold)
Japanese: 雄弁は銀、沈黙は金 (Yūben wa gin, chinmoku wa kin) (literally: Eloquence is silver, silence is gold)
Italian: Pensa molto, parla poco, e scrivi meno (literally: Think much, speak little, and write less)
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