--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am rather inclined to silence, and…" description: "\"I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to fi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/abraham-lincoln-88_being-wise_i-am-rather-inclined-to-silence-and-whet_725216.png" --- # I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise… ![“I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot.” quote by Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/abraham-lincoln-88_being-wise_i-am-rather-inclined-to-silence-and-whet_725216.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/abraham-lincoln-88_being-wise_i-am-rather-inclined-to-silence-and-whet_725216.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f16/abraham-lincoln-88_being-wise_i-am-rather-inclined-to-silence-and-whet_725216.png) > “I am rather inclined to silence, and whether that be wise or not, it is at least more unusual nowadays to find a man who can hold his tongue than to find one who cannot.” [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Silence is rare and valuable; those who can restrain speech are uncommon today. **In simple terms:** Holding your tongue is a rare skill. Key Takeaway Practice thoughtful restraint before speaking. Themes communication self-control society Mood thoughtful serious Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - negotiations - conflict resolution - leadership - personal relationships Key Concepts speech silence social norms Questions to Reflect On - When is speaking more important than silence? - How does restraint affect trust? A Different Perspective Silence can be misinterpreted as weakness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-wise/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Hold Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hold-tongue/) [Inclined Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inclined-silence-5692217/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Motivational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/motivational/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silence Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence-wise-3480293/) [Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue/) [Unusual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unusual/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise Unusual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-unusual-5692218/) ## Related quotes > [I am rather inclined to silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-rather-inclined-to-silence/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Neither silence of a wise man , nor speech of an ignorant has any profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/neither-silence-of-a-wise-man-nor-speech-of-an-ignorant-has-any-profit/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The silence of a wise man is always meaningful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-strauss/the-silence-of-a-wise-man-is-always-meaningful/) [Leo Strauss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-strauss/) > [I am approached with the most opposite opinions and advice, and that by religious men, who are equally certain that they represent the Divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-approached-with-the-most-opposite-opinions-and-advice-and-that/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I ultimately decided to hold my tongue and settle instead for the comfort of ignorance. Not knowing the truth, I retained hope, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-gilbert-murdock/i-ultimately-decided-to-hold-my-tongue-and-settle-instead-for-the/) [Catherine Gilbert Murdock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-gilbert-murdock/) > [To make another person hold his tongue, be you first silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-make-another-person-hold-his-tongue-be-you-first-silent/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [No one can take less pains than to hold his tongue. Hear much, and speak little; for the tongue is the instrument of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-raleigh/no-one-can-take-less-pains-than-to-hold-his-tongue-hear-much-and/) [Walter Raleigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-raleigh/) > [I went through an evolutionary process of learning to have a voice and how to use it, knowing when to step in. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simu-liu/i-went-through-an-evolutionary-process-of-learning-to-have-a-voice/) [Simu Liu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simu-liu/) > [When Demaratus was asked whether he held his tongue because he was a fool or for want of words, he replied, "A fool cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-demaratus-was-asked-whether-he-held-his-tongue-because-he-was-a/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [They are fools who kiss and tell'-- Wisely has the poet sung. Man may hold all sorts of posts If he'll only hold his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/they-are-fools-who-kiss-and-tell-wisely-has-the-poet-sung-man-may/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [For God's sake hold your tongue, and let me love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-donne/for-god-s-sake-hold-your-tongue-and-let-me-love/) [John Donne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-donne/) > [A man who doesn't know how to hold his tongue doesnt know how to talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-man-who-doesn-t-know-how-to-hold-his-tongue-doesnt-know-how-to-talk/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [The best time for you to hold your tongue is the time you feel you must say something or bust.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/the-best-time-for-you-to-hold-your-tongue-is-the-time-you-feel-you/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [The new Germany has the unquestionable right to hold its tongue between its teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-liebknecht/the-new-germany-has-the-unquestionable-right-to-hold-its-tongue/) [Karl Liebknecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-liebknecht/) > [“one can’t hold one’s tongue when one has a feeling, a tangible feeling”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/one-can-t-hold-one-s-tongue-when-one-has-a-feeling-a-tangible-feeling/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More by Abraham Lincoln > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. If they decide to turn their back on the fire and burn their behinds, then they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/elections-belong-to-the-people-it-s-their-decision-if-they-decide-to/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [All that I am or ever hope to be, I owe to my angel Mother.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/all-that-i-am-or-ever-hope-to-be-i-owe-to-my-angel-mother/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [While the people retain their virtue and vigilance, no administration, by any extreme of wickedness or folly, can very seriously injure the government in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/while-the-people-retain-their-virtue-and-vigilance-no-administration/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I could not have slept tonight if I had left that helpless little creature to perish on the ground.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-could-not-have-slept-tonight-if-i-had-left-that-helpless-little/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Let us at all times remember that all American citizens are brothers of a common country, and should dwell together in bonds of fraternal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/let-us-at-all-times-remember-that-all-american-citizens-are-brothers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [If you wish to be a lawyer, attach no consequence to the place you are in, or the person you are with; but get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/if-you-wish-to-be-a-lawyer-attach-no-consequence-to-the-place-you-are/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [As we keep or break the Sabbath Day we nobly save or meanly lose the last best hope by which man rises.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/as-we-keep-or-break-the-sabbath-day-we-nobly-save-or-meanly-lose-the/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Tell the truth and you won't have so much to remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/tell-the-truth-and-you-won-t-have-so-much-to-remember/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [With high hope for the future, no prediction is ventured.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/with-high-hope-for-the-future-no-prediction-is-ventured/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [We know, Southern men declare that their slaves are better off than hired laborers amongst us. How little they know, whereof they speak! There…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/we-know-southern-men-declare-that-their-slaves-are-better-off-than/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I am glad to see that a system of labor prevails under which laborers can strike when they want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/i-am-glad-to-see-that-a-system-of-labor-prevails-under-which-laborers/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [I don't like that man. 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None who would do more to preserve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/the-man-does-not-live-who-is-more-devoted-to-peace-than-i-am-none-who/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) [Explore all 1,437 Abraham Lincoln quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) ## More Being wise quotes > [You can never be wise unless you love reading.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-johnson/you-can-never-be-wise-unless-you-love-reading/) [Samuel Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-johnson/) > [To be smart, spend carefully. To be wise, save regularly. To be genius, give extravagantly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-ingram/to-be-smart-spend-carefully-to-be-wise-save-regularly-to-be-genius/) [Chip Ingram](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-ingram/) > [Acknowledging foolishness is a very powerful and important experience. 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Harry Reid intended to manage life in the minority, it took one day of the 114th Congress to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kimberley-strassel/were-anyone-wondering-how-sen-harry-reid-intended-to-manage-life-in/) [Kimberley Strassel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kimberley-strassel/) > [If we are going to be wise, spiritual people prepared to meet the crises of our age, we must be a studying, learning community…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-p-moreland/if-we-are-going-to-be-wise-spiritual-people-prepared-to-meet-the/) [J.P. 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