---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is most difficult to speak when we are…"
description: "\"It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being silent.\" — Francois de La Rochefoucauld"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png"
---

#  It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being…

![“It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being silent.” quote by Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png)

> “It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being silent.”

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

When guilt over silence makes speaking harder, the inner conflict hinders honest expression.

**In simple terms:** Shame blocks speech.

Key Takeaway

Acknowledge fear before speaking.

Themes

honesty vulnerability communication

Mood

reflective serious

Type

advice philosophical

When to use this quote

- public speaking
- conflict resolution
- personal relationships

Key Concepts

psychology self‑awareness

Questions to Reflect On

- What truth are you avoiding?
- How can you create a safe space to speak?

A Different Perspective

Silence may be protective in dangerous contexts.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Ashamed Silent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed-silent-3299205/) [Difficult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult/) [Difficult Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/difficult-speak-376618/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Silent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silent/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-ashamed-3299206/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/)

## Related quotes

> [Let thy virtue be too high for the familiarity of names, and if thou must speak of it, be not ashamed to stammer about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/let-thy-virtue-be-too-high-for-the-familiarity-of-names-and-if-thou/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [“Revere those things beyond science which really matter and about which it is so difficult to speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/werner-heisenberg/revere-those-things-beyond-science-which-really-matter-and-about/)

[Werner Heisenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/werner-heisenberg/)

> [“It’s maddeningly painful not to be able to speak with the dead. But maybe what Zelda was trying to tell me is that it’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caite-dolan-leach/it-s-maddeningly-painful-not-to-be-able-to-speak-with-the-dead-but/)

[Caite Dolan-Leach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caite-dolan-leach/)

> [“That makes it more difficult to speak of the past, because the memories are apt to turn into the living present.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gerda-weissmann-klein/that-makes-it-more-difficult-to-speak-of-the-past-because-the/)

[Gerda Weissmann Klein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gerda-weissmann-klein/)

> [“It can be difficult to speak truth to power. Circumstances, however, have made doing so increasingly necessary.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aberjhani/it-can-be-difficult-to-speak-truth-to-power-circumstances-however/)

[Aberjhani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aberjhani/)

> [After a lifetime of silence, it is difficult then to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marya-hornbacher/after-a-lifetime-of-silence-it-is-difficult-then-to-speak/)

[Marya Hornbacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marya-hornbacher/)

> [“Later, there were times when I was angry with myself for succumbing to that fear. But those with shattered souls find it very difficult…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-smart/later-there-were-times-when-i-was-angry-with-myself-for-succumbing-to/)

[Elizabeth Smart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-smart/)

> [It is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or cheerful, or easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-difficult-to-speak-adequately-or-justly-of-london-it-is-not-a-2/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [It's very difficult to speak to a large group of people these days and not offend someone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-carson/it-s-very-difficult-to-speak-to-a-large-group-of-people-these-days-2/)

[Benjamin Carson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-carson/)

> [“Because of you I find it difficult to speak, difficult to breathe, difficult to be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianne-crowder/because-of-you-i-find-it-difficult-to-speak-difficult-to-breathe/)

[Brianne Crowder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianne-crowder/)

> [“I have never found it difficult, as some do, to speak to children. All one has to do is pretend that they're some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hanya-yanagihara/i-have-never-found-it-difficult-as-some-do-to-speak-to-children-all/)

[Hanya Yanagihara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hanya-yanagihara/)

> [It's difficult to speak with beautiful people. No matter how hard you try to pretend otherwise, you still want them to like you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-coupland/it-s-difficult-to-speak-with-beautiful-people-no-matter-how-hard-you/)

[Douglas Coupland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-coupland/)

> [“It is difficult to speak adequately or justly of London. It is not a pleasant place; it is not agreeable, or cheerful, or easy,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-james/it-is-difficult-to-speak-adequately-or-justly-of-london-it-is-not-a/)

[Henry James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-james/)

> [It is difficult to speak of what is common in a way of your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/horace/it-is-difficult-to-speak-of-what-is-common-in-a-way-of-your-own/)

[Horace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/horace/)

> [I find it difficult to speak in remote places because it is so hot and dusty that I tend to choke.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hema-malini/i-find-it-difficult-to-speak-in-remote-places-because-it-is-so-hot/)

[Hema Malini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hema-malini/)

## More by Francois de La Rochefoucauld

> [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/)

[François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

> [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/)

[Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

[Explore all 1,134 Francois de La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/)

## More Ashamed quotes

> [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/)

[Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/)

> [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/)

[Robert Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-preston/)

> [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/)

[Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/)

> [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/)

[Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/)

> [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/)

[Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/)

> [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/)

[Stacy Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-green/)

> [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/)

[Vernon Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-johns/)

> [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/)

[Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/)

> [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/)

[Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/)

> [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/)

[James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/)

> [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/)

[Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/)

> [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/)

[Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/)

> [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/)

[Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/)

> [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/)

[Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/)

[Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being silent.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-are-ashamed-of-being-silent/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Ashamed"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-are-ashamed-of-being-silent/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8fb/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_ashamed_it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-ar_1969481.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“It is most difficult to speak when we are ashamed of being silent.” — Francois de La Rochefoucauld",
                "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": "Francois de La Rochefoucauld",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "It is most difficult to speak...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-are-ashamed-of-being-silent/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-most-difficult-to-speak-when-we-are-ashamed-of-being-silent/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```