--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Nature has given man one tongue, but two…" description: "\"Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak\" — Epictetus" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/epictetus-413_nature_nature-has-given-man-one-tongue-but-two_2677573.jpg" --- # Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may… ![“Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak” quote by Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/epictetus-413_nature_nature-has-given-man-one-tongue-but-two_2677573.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/epictetus-413_nature_nature-has-given-man-one-tongue-but-two_2677573.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/579/epictetus-413_nature_nature-has-given-man-one-tongue-but-two_2677573.jpg) > “Nature has given man one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear twice as much as we speak” [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Humans should listen more than they speak, using their two ears to gain wisdom and their one tongue to act wisely. **In simple terms:** Listen twice as much as you talk. Key Takeaway Prioritize listening over speaking. Themes wisdom communication self‑control humility learning Mood thoughtful instructive calm Type philosophical practical inspirational When to use this quote - Counseling sessions - team meetings - personal reflection Key Concepts Stoic philosophy active listening mindful speech Questions to Reflect On - How can I improve my listening habits? - When should speaking outweigh listening? A Different Perspective In practice, speaking may be necessary for leadership. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ears Hear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ears-hear-331542/) [Hear Twice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hear-twice-1616349/) [Man Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-tongue-612160/) [Nature](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature/) [Tongue Ears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue-ears-1716283/) [Twice Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/twice-speak-362263/) ## Related quotes > [Nature has given to men one tongue, but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/nature-has-given-to-men-one-tongue-but-two-ears-that-we-may-hear-from/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Nature hath given men one tongue but two ears, that we may hear from others twice as much as we speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/nature-hath-given-men-one-tongue-but-two-ears-that-we-may-hear-from/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Nature gave us one tongue and two ears so we could hear twice as much as we speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/nature-gave-us-one-tongue-and-two-ears-so-we-could-hear-twice-as-much/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We have two ears and one mouth so that we can listen twice as much as we speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-have-two-ears-and-one-mouth-so-that-we-can-listen-twice-as-much-as/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Tell me you want me inside you. Don't take your tongue off my ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serani/tell-me-you-want-me-inside-you-don-t-take-your-tongue-off-my-ears/) [Serani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/serani/) > [“Not everything you meet twice is the truth. Not everything you hear twice is the fact, and not everything you ponder over and over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/not-everything-you-meet-twice-is-the-truth-not-everything-you-hear/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [“The repeat is always the killer. Everything inside you goes into saying the word once, but sorry is the kind of word the person…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/courtney-summers/the-repeat-is-always-the-killer-everything-inside-you-goes-into/) [Courtney Summers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/courtney-summers/) > [God gave us two ears and one mouth, so we can hear twice as much as we say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/god-gave-us-two-ears-and-one-mouth-so-we-can-hear-twice-as-much-as-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A fool's mind is at the mercy of his tongue and a wise man's tongue is under the control of his mind.!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imam-ali-ibn-abi-talib-as/a-fool-s-mind-is-at-the-mercy-of-his-tongue-and-a-wise-man-s-tongue/) [Imam Ali Ibn Abi Talib AS](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imam-ali-ibn-abi-talib-as/) > [This is courtship all the world over - the man all tongue; the woman all ears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-murphy/this-is-courtship-all-the-world-over-the-man-all-tongue-the-woman-all/) [Emily Murphy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-murphy/) > [“The man’s tongue was like a heat-seeking missile and it blew Kory to pieces.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-a-rogers/the-man-s-tongue-was-like-a-heat-seeking-missile-and-it-blew-kory-to/) [Gina A. Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-a-rogers/) > [Many a man's tongue shakes out his master's undoing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/many-a-man-s-tongue-shakes-out-his-master-s-undoing/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Ten doors are opened if one door be shut: the finger is the interpreter of the dumb man's tongue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saib-tabrizi/ten-doors-are-opened-if-one-door-be-shut-the-finger-is-the/) [Saib Tabrizi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saib-tabrizi/) > [Women can resist a man's love, a man's fame, a man's personal appearance, and a man's money, but they cannot resist a man's tongue…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wilkie-collins/women-can-resist-a-man-s-love-a-man-s-fame-a-man-s-personal/) [Wilkie Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wilkie-collins/) > [And from the first declension of the flesh I learnt man's tongue, to twist the shapes of thoughts Into the stony idiom of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-thomas/and-from-the-first-declension-of-the-flesh-i-learnt-man-s-tongue-to/) [Dylan Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-thomas/) ## More by Epictetus > [“We are at the mercy of whoever wields authority over the things we either desire or detest. If you would be free, then, do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-at-the-mercy-of-whoever-wields-authority-over-the-things-we/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Practice yourself, for heaven's sake in little things, and then proceed to greater.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/practice-yourself-for-heaven-s-sake-in-little-things-and-then-proceed/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Do not laugh much or often or unrestrainedly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/do-not-laugh-much-or-often-or-unrestrainedly/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [When men are unhappy, they do not imagine they can ever cease to be so; and when some calamity has fallen on them, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/when-men-are-unhappy-they-do-not-imagine-they-can-ever-cease-to-be-so/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [We are not disturbed by what happens to us, but by our thoughts about what happens to us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/we-are-not-disturbed-by-what-happens-to-us-but-by-our-thoughts-about/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [Don't be prideful with any excellence that is not your own](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/don-t-be-prideful-with-any-excellence-that-is-not-your-own/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [You know yourself what you are worth in your own eyes; and at what price you will sell yourself. 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Wish to be considered to know nothing; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/if-you-would-improve-submit-to-be-considered-wihout-sense-and-foolish/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“For it is not death or pain that is to be feared, but the fear of pain or death.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/for-it-is-not-death-or-pain-that-is-to-be-feared-but-the-fear-of-pain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [What else can I do, a lame old man, but sing hymns to God? If I were a nightingale, I would do the nightingale's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/what-else-can-i-do-a-lame-old-man-but-sing-hymns-to-god-if-i-were-a/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [People are disturbed not by things, but by the view they take of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/people-are-disturbed-not-by-things-but-by-the-view-they-take-of-them-2/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [“Small-minded people blame others. Average people blame themselves. The wise see all blame as foolishness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/small-minded-people-blame-others-average-people-blame-themselves-the/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) > [All philosophy lies in two words, sustain and abstain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epictetus/all-philosophy-lies-in-two-words-sustain-and-abstain/) [Epictetus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) [Explore all 577 Epictetus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epictetus/) ## More Nature quotes > [It is indeed a surprising and fortunate fact that nature can be expressed by relatively low-order mathematical functions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudolf-carnap/it-is-indeed-a-surprising-and-fortunate-fact-that-nature-can-be/) [Rudolf Carnap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudolf-carnap/) > [Remember that your natural state is joy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/remember-that-your-natural-state-is-joy/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Borrow trouble for yourself, if that's your nature, but don't lend it to your neighbours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/borrow-trouble-for-yourself-if-that-s-your-nature-but-don-t-lend-it/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [There is no human nature, since there is no god to conceive it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/there-is-no-human-nature-since-there-is-no-god-to-conceive-it/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [“Men mistook measurement for understanding. 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