--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Were we as eloquent as angels we still…" description: "\"Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people much more by listening rather than talking.\" — Charles Caleb Colton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png" --- # Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people… ![“Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people much more by listening rather than talking.” quote by Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png) > “Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people much more by listening rather than talking.” [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even the most eloquent speakers are less effective than attentive listeners **In simple terms:** Listening is more valuable than speaking Key Takeaway Prioritize listening to understand others better Themes communication humility empathy Mood thoughtful instructive Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - meetings - conflict resolution - personal relationships - leadership training Key Concepts active listening dialogue relationship building Questions to Reflect On - When have you listened more than spoken? - How does listening improve outcomes? A Different Perspective Listening alone does not solve problems; action may be needed ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Angel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) [Eloquent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eloquent/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) ## Related quotes > [Most of the successful people I've known are the ones who do more listening than talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-baruch/most-of-the-successful-people-i-ve-known-are-the-ones-who-do-more/) [Bernard Baruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-baruch/) > [Stay to yourself, just listen. Do more listening than talking. The more you speak the higher the chances you sayin the wrong thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-jackson/stay-to-yourself-just-listen-do-more-listening-than-talking-the-more/) [Curtis Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-jackson/) > [That awqward moment when you think someone is listening to them talking and they really aren't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/that-awqward-moment-when-you-think-someone-is-listening-to-them/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im not listening, but keep talking. I enjoy the way your voice makes my ears bleed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curly/im-not-listening-but-keep-talking-i-enjoy-the-way-your-voice-makes-my/) [Curly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curly/) > [I have stopped listening, so why are you STILL talking?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-have-stopped-listening-so-why-are-you-still-talking/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing, and cozy chats to group settings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to-socializing-and-cozy-chats/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [“God gave us two ears and one mouth to do twice as much listening as talking,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-o-neal/god-gave-us-two-ears-and-one-mouth-to-do-twice-as-much-listening-as/) Mark O'Neal > [If there's anyone in space, what they'll learn about the human race will be listening to us talking on the car phone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-mcguinn/if-there-s-anyone-in-space-what-they-ll-learn-about-the-human-race/) [Roger McGuinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-mcguinn/) > [In prayer, more is accomplished by listening than by talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-frances-de-chantal/in-prayer-more-is-accomplished-by-listening-than-by-talking/) [Jane Frances de Chantal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-frances-de-chantal/) > [The key to acting has much more to do with listening than with talking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-leo/the-key-to-acting-has-much-more-to-do-with-listening-than-with-talking/) [Melissa Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-leo/) > [Have u ever felt that God isn't listening when you're talking to Him? Well, He is. He's just planning something better to you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anurag-prakash-ray/have-u-ever-felt-that-god-isn-t-listening-when-you-re-talking-to-him/) [Anurag Prakash Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anurag-prakash-ray/) > [ We should all know this: that listening is not talking; \[it\] is the gifted and great role and the imaginative role. And the true… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brenda-ueland/we-should-all-know-this-that-listening-is-not-talking-it-is-the/) [Brenda Ueland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brenda-ueland/) > [I think that being in politics, being in leadership should be as much about listening as talking. That's how I think you can get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/i-think-that-being-in-politics-being-in-leadership-should-be-as-much/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [I prefer listening to talking, reading to socializing ... I like to think before I speak (softly).](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/susan-cain/i-prefer-listening-to-talking-reading-to-socializing-i-like-to-think/) [Susan Cain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/susan-cain/) > [While my friends were busy listening to the Talking Heads, Police, and B-52s, I was busy teaching myself to program on the Atari.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-sinofsky/while-my-friends-were-busy-listening-to-the-talking-heads-police-and/) [Steven Sinofsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-sinofsky/) ## More by Charles Caleb Colton > [Villainy that is vigilant will be an overmatch for virtue, if she slumber at her post.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/villainy-that-is-vigilant-will-be-an-overmatch-for-virtue-if-she/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [A beautiful woman, if poor, should use double circumspection; for her beauty will tempt others, her poverty herself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/a-beautiful-woman-if-poor-should-use-double-circumspection-for-her/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Were the life of man prolonged, he would become such a proficient in villainy, that it would become necessary again to drown or to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-the-life-of-man-prolonged-he-would-become-such-a-proficient-in/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [To dare to live alone is the rarest courage; since there are many who had rather meet their bitterest enemy in the field, than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/to-dare-to-live-alone-is-the-rarest-courage-since-there-are-many-who/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is doubtful whether mankind are most indebted to those who like Bacon and Butler dig the gold from the mine of literature, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/it-is-doubtful-whether-mankind-are-most-indebted-to-those-who-like/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Be very slow to believe that you are wiser than all others; it is a fatal but common error. Where one has been saved…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/be-very-slow-to-believe-that-you-are-wiser-than-all-others-it-is-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [None are so fond of secrets as those who do not mean to keep them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/none-are-so-fond-of-secrets-as-those-who-do-not-mean-to-keep-them/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Mental pleasures never cloy; unlike those of the body, they are increased by reputation, approved by reflection, and strengthened by enjoyment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/mental-pleasures-never-cloy-unlike-those-of-the-body-they-are/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Ignorance lies at the bottom of all human knowledge, and the deeper we penetrate, the nearer we arrive unto it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/ignorance-lies-at-the-bottom-of-all-human-knowledge-and-the-deeper-we/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We ought not to be over-anxious to encourage innovation in cases of doubtful improvement, for an old system must ever have two advantages over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-ought-not-to-be-over-anxious-to-encourage-innovation-in-cases-of/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [We owe almost all our knowledge not to those who have agreed, but to those who have differed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/we-owe-almost-all-our-knowledge-not-to-those-who-have-agreed-but-to/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Metaphysicians have been learning their lessons for the last four thousand years, and it is high time that they should now begin to teach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/metaphysicians-have-been-learning-their-lessons-for-the-last-four/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [Faith and works are necessary to our spiritual life as Christians, as soul and body are to our natural life as men; for faith…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/faith-and-works-are-necessary-to-our-spiritual-life-as-christians-as/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [When all moves equally (says Pascal), nothing seems to move as in a vessel under sail; and when all run by common consent into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/when-all-moves-equally-says-pascal-nothing-seems-to-move-as-in-a/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) [Explore all 778 Charles Caleb Colton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) ## More Angel quotes > [A man walks down the street. It's a street in a strange world. Maybe it's the third world. Maybe it's his first time around.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-simon/a-man-walks-down-the-street-it-s-a-street-in-a-strange-world-maybe-it/) [Paul Simon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-simon/) > [If I wer an angel,i would make all your wishes come true..but I'm only a girl a girl who loves you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nix/if-i-wer-an-angel-i-would-make-all-your-wishes-come-true-but-i-m-only/) [Nix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nix/) > [Peace is the first thing the angels sang. Peace is the mark of the children of God. Peace is the nurse of love. Peace…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-leo-i/peace-is-the-first-thing-the-angels-sang-peace-is-the-mark-of-the/) [Pope Leo I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-leo-i/) > [“Every child is born as angel.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/every-child-is-born-as-angel/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [“Behind my eyelids, I saw him dancing in spirals of coloured light, emerald, blue, and brilliant purple, enfolding him like the wings of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexis-hall/behind-my-eyelids-i-saw-him-dancing-in-spirals-of-coloured-light/) [Alexis Hall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexis-hall/) > [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/) > [I don't think people will ever forget I was an 'Angel,' anymore than they'll forget Sally Field was 'The Flying Nun.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cheryl-ladd/i-don-t-think-people-will-ever-forget-i-was-an-angel-anymore-than/) [Cheryl Ladd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cheryl-ladd/) > [It's a great story for us whenever an entrepreneur makes a crazy amount of money and we get to tell the world about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-lacy/it-s-a-great-story-for-us-whenever-an-entrepreneur-makes-a-crazy/) [Sarah Lacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-lacy/) > [I believe in UFOs, I believe in extraterrestrials, and I believe in angels. And maybe they'll protect all of us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-maclaine/i-believe-in-ufos-i-believe-in-extraterrestrials-and-i-believe-in/) [Shirley MacLaine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-maclaine/) > [Sometimes we have the absolute certainty there's something inside us that's so hideous and monstrous that if we ever search it out we won't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hubert-selby-jr/sometimes-we-have-the-absolute-certainty-there-s-something-inside-us/) [Hubert Selby, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hubert-selby-jr/) > [Flowers are the alphabet of angels, whereby they write on the hills and fields mysterious truths.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/flowers-are-the-alphabet-of-angels-whereby-they-write-on-the-hills/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [You should never feel lonely, neglected, fearful, or defeated when you remember that there are the shining ones. They are watching with keen interest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/flower-a-newhouse/you-should-never-feel-lonely-neglected-fearful-or-defeated-when-you/) [Flower A. Newhouse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/flower-a-newhouse/) > [Hark the herald angels sing, 'Glory to the new-born king.' Peace on earth, and mercy mild, God and sinners reconciled!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-wesley/hark-the-herald-angels-sing-glory-to-the-new-born-king-peace-on-earth/) [Charles Wesley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-wesley/) > [Man was created a little lower than the angels and has been getting a little lower ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-billings/man-was-created-a-little-lower-than-the-angels-and-has-been-getting-a/) [Josh Billings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-billings/) > [Mooner was walking around laying his hands on the cars, divining karma. "this is it", he said, standing by a small khaki-colored jeep."this car…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janet-evanovich/mooner-was-walking-around-laying-his-hands-on-the-cars-divining-karma/) [Janet Evanovich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janet-evanovich/) [Browse all 4,625 Angel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/angel/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people much more by listening rather than talking.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Caleb Colton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-would-please-people-much-more/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Angel" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-would-please-people-much-more/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/689/charles-caleb-colton-270_angel_were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-w_3097854.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Were we as eloquent as angels we still would please people much more by listening rather than talking.” — Charles Caleb Colton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Caleb Colton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Were we as eloquent as angels...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-would-please-people-much-more/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/were-we-as-eloquent-as-angels-we-still-would-please-people-much-more/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```