ProverbCommunicationRussian origin

Язык мой — враг мой (Yazyk moy — vrag moy)

Meaning: Careless talk gets you into trouble.

Literally: My tongue is my enemy

Example: “Зачем я сказал ему правду? Язык мой — враг мой.” — Why did I tell him the truth? My tongue is my own worst enemy.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, Japanese, Italian, and 3 more languages

  • English: Better that the feet slip than the tongue.
  • French: Mieux vaut glisser du pied que de la langue (literally: Better a slip of the foot than of the tongue)
  • Spanish: Por la boca muere el pez (literally: The fish dies by its mouth)
  • Japanese: 口は災いの元 (Kuchi wa wazawai no moto) (literally: The mouth is the source of calamity)
  • Italian: Ne uccide più la lingua che la spada (literally: The tongue kills more than the sword)
  • Portuguese: Pela boca morre o peixe (literally: The fish dies by its mouth)
  • Dutch: Beter met de voet dan met de tong te struikelen (literally: Better to stumble with the foot than with the tongue)
  • Chinese: 祸从口出 (Huò cóng kǒu chū) (literally: Disaster comes out of the mouth)

Origin: A longer form continues прежде ума глаголет: my tongue speaks before my mind does.

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