--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We have two ears and one tongue so that…" description: "\"We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.\" — Diogenes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png" --- # We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen… ![“We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.” quote by Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png) > “We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.” [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We have two ears and one tongue to encourage listening more than speaking, promoting humility and understanding. **In simple terms:** Listen more, speak less. Key Takeaway Practice active listening. Themes humility communication wisdom self‑control philosophy Mood calm thoughtful instructive Type philosophical practical When to use this quote - conflict resolution - leadership training - personal relationships - education - counseling Key Concepts Socratic method ethical living mindfulness Questions to Reflect On - How can you train yourself to listen better? - What benefits arise from speaking less? A Different Perspective In practice, people often struggle to silence their own thoughts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) [Ears Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears-tongue-1994689/) [Listen Talk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/listen-talk/) [Talk Less](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talk-less/) [Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue/) [Tongue Listen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue-listen-3489312/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) ## Related quotes > [“Having two ears and one tongue, we should listen twice as we speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/turkish-proverb/having-two-ears-and-one-tongue-we-should-listen-twice-as-we-speak/) [Turkish proverb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/turkish-proverb/) > [DREAM more, COMPLAIN less. LISTEN more, TALK less. LOVE more, ARGUE less. HOPE more, FEAR less. RELAX more, WORRY less. BELIEVE more, DOUBT less.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dream-more-complain-less-listen-more-talk-less-love-more-argue-less/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“We have two ears and only one tongue in order that we may hear more and speak less.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes-laertius/we-have-two-ears-and-only-one-tongue-in-order-that-we-may-hear-more/) [Diogenes Laertius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes-laertius/) > [Speak but little, and that little only when thy own purposes require it. Heaven has given thee two ears but only one tongue, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hafez/speak-but-little-and-that-little-only-when-thy-own-purposes-require/) [Hafez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hafez/) > [Damn you, for being so incredibly boring that I didn't listen to you talk...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/damn-you-for-being-so-incredibly-boring-that-i-didn-t-listen-to-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Whenever one of you guys says people deal with bad stuff in their own way, it means you don't deal with it at all.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-quindlen/whenever-one-of-you-guys-says-people-deal-with-bad-stuff-in-their-own/) [Anna Quindlen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-quindlen/) > [It's obvious you don't listen when I talk , maybe you'll listen to my footsteps as I walk away](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spido/it-s-obvious-you-don-t-listen-when-i-talk-maybe-you-ll-listen-to-my/) [Spido](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spido/) > [I listen and talk to God daily.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-galliano/i-listen-and-talk-to-god-daily/) [John Galliano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-galliano/) > [The biggest mistake is believing there is one right way to listen, to talk, to have a conversation, or to have a relationship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bakare/the-biggest-mistake-is-believing-there-is-one-right-way-to-listen-to/) [Bakare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bakare/) > [“Listen more than you talk. Whatever the context, people will think you’re smarter.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esther-dyson/listen-more-than-you-talk-whatever-the-context-people-will-think-you/) [Esther Dyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esther-dyson/) > [I wish people would listen as much as they talk.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewshy/i-wish-people-would-listen-as-much-as-they-talk/) [Ewshy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewshy/) > [When you pray be sure that you listen as well as talk. You have things you want to say to God but He also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joyce-meyer/when-you-pray-be-sure-that-you-listen-as-well-as-talk-you-have-things/) [Joyce Meyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joyce-meyer/) > [No man would listen to you talk if he didn't know it was his turn next.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-w-howe/no-man-would-listen-to-you-talk-if-he-didn-t-know-it-was-his-turn-next/) [E. W. Howe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-w-howe/) > [“The best part of having a relationship is getting to call the person or lay down next to them and tell them all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tegan-quin/the-best-part-of-having-a-relationship-is-getting-to-call-the-person/) [Tegan Quin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tegan-quin/) > [ They \[dogs\] never talk about themselves but listen to you while you talk about yourself, and keep up an appearance of being interested in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerome-k-jerome/they-dogs-never-talk-about-themselves-but-listen-to-you-while-you/) [Jerome K. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerome-k-jerome/) ## More by Diogenes > [Dogs and philosophers do the greatest good and get the fewest rewards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/dogs-and-philosophers-do-the-greatest-good-and-get-the-fewest-rewards/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Perdiccas threatened to put him to death unless he came to him, "That's nothing wonderful," Diogenes said, "for a beetle or a tarantula would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/perdiccas-threatened-to-put-him-to-death-unless-he-came-to-him-that-s/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [If only it was as easy to banish hunger by rubbing the belly as it is to masturbate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/if-only-it-was-as-easy-to-banish-hunger-by-rubbing-the-belly-as-it-is/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [He has the most who is most content with the least.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/he-has-the-most-who-is-most-content-with-the-least/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [In a rich man's house there is no place to spit but his face.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/in-a-rich-man-s-house-there-is-no-place-to-spit-but-his-face/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Chilo advised, "not to speak evil of the dead."](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/chilo-advised-not-to-speak-evil-of-the-dead/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [There is a false love that will make you something you are not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/there-is-a-false-love-that-will-make-you-something-you-are-not/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [“And at last, becoming a complete misanthrope, he used to live, spending his time in walking about the mountains; feeding on grasses and plants,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/and-at-last-becoming-a-complete-misanthrope-he-used-to-live-spending/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Most men are within a finger's breadth of being mad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/most-men-are-within-a-finger-s-breadth-of-being-mad/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It takes a wise man to discover a wise man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-discover-a-wise-man/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am Diogenes the Dog. I nuzzle the kind, bark at the greedy and bite scoundrels.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-diogenes-the-dog-i-nuzzle-the-kind-bark-at-the-greedy-and-bite/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [To become self-educated you should condemn yourself for all those things that you would criticize others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/to-become-self-educated-you-should-condemn-yourself-for-all-those/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [It is the privilege of the gods to want nothing, and of godlike men to want little.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/it-is-the-privilege-of-the-gods-to-want-nothing-and-of-godlike-men-to/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/those-who-have-virtue-always-in-their-mouths-and-neglect-it-in/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) > [I am looking for a human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/i-am-looking-for-a-human/) [Diogenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) [Explore all 114 Diogenes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/) ## More Ears quotes > [The more perfect the sight is the more delightful the beautiful object. The more perfect the appetite, the sweeter the food. The more musical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-baxter/the-more-perfect-the-sight-is-the-more-delightful-the-beautiful/) [Richard Baxter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-baxter/) > [I am convinced that we will never build a democratic state based on rule of law if we do not at the same time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vaclav-havel/i-am-convinced-that-we-will-never-build-a-democratic-state-based-on/) [Vaclav Havel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vaclav-havel/) > [Story is about pulling the reader in and a plot is a more externalized mechanism of revelation. A plot is more antic, more performative,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-enright/story-is-about-pulling-the-reader-in-and-a-plot-is-a-more/) [Anne Enright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-enright/) > [The nineteenth century lynching mob cuts off ears, toes, and fingers, strips off flesh, and distributes portions of the body as souvenirs among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ida-b-wells/the-nineteenth-century-lynching-mob-cuts-off-ears-toes-and-fingers/) [Ida B. Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ida-b-wells/) > [Somehow the river is louder when you cover your ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/niall-williams/somehow-the-river-is-louder-when-you-cover-your-ears/) [Niall Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/niall-williams/) > [I started off playing by ear, and being around a bunch of musicians and playing in the streets and in the different parades and,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/troy-andrews/i-started-off-playing-by-ear-and-being-around-a-bunch-of-musicians/) [Troy Andrews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/troy-andrews/) > [Well the first time I performed, my mom was like how she is now when sees me on stage – all red, smiling from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-brown/well-the-first-time-i-performed-my-mom-was-like-how-she-is-now-when/) [Chris Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-brown/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Every wife ought to answer for her man. If the husband be engaged in a seditious club, or drinks mysterious healths, or be frugal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-addison/every-wife-ought-to-answer-for-her-man-if-the-husband-be-engaged-in-a/) [Joseph Addison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-addison/) > [Words are substance strange. Speak one and the air ripples into another's ears. Write one and the eye laps it up. But the sense…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-beachy-quick/words-are-substance-strange-speak-one-and-the-air-ripples-into/) [Dan Beachy-Quick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-beachy-quick/) > [I had never done anything with blue screen before, or prosthetics, or anything like that. Lord of the Rings was like stepping into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/i-had-never-done-anything-with-blue-screen-before-or-prosthetics-or/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Seek ye counsel of the aged for their eyes have looked on the faces of the years and their ears have hardened to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khalil-gibran/seek-ye-counsel-of-the-aged-for-their-eyes-have-looked-on-the-faces/) [Khalil Gibran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khalil-gibran/) > [The more that you act on your intuition fearlessly, the more your intuition will serve you. Intuition is the ear of the soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neale-donald-walsch/the-more-that-you-act-on-your-intuition-fearlessly-the-more-your/) [Neale Donald Walsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neale-donald-walsch/) > [it'll be this kind of deep blue”she said. “The kind of color that somehow sucks your eyes and your ears and all your words…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/banana-yoshimoto/it-ll-be-this-kind-of-deep-blue-she-said-the-kind-of-color-that/) [Banana Yoshimoto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/banana-yoshimoto/) > [Flat muscled and honey coloured. Sea secrets in his eyes. A silver raindrop in his ear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arundhati-roy/flat-muscled-and-honey-coloured-sea-secrets-in-his-eyes-a-silver/) [Arundhati Roy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arundhati-roy/) [Browse all 2,987 Ears quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Diogenes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that-we-would-listen-more-and-talk/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ears" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that-we-would-listen-more-and-talk/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6b6/diogenes-4214_ears_we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that_385744.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We have two ears and one tongue so that we would listen more and talk less.” — Diogenes", "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": "Diogenes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diogenes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We have two ears and one...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that-we-would-listen-more-and-talk/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diogenes/we-have-two-ears-and-one-tongue-so-that-we-would-listen-more-and-talk/#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 } } ] } ```