--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We know not what we do When we speak words." description: "\"We know not what we do When we speak words.\" — Percy Bysshe Shelley" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_knows_we-know-not-what-we-do-when-we-speak-wor_1541391.jpg" --- # We know not what we do When we speak words. ![“We know not what we do When we speak words.” quote by Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_knows_we-know-not-what-we-do-when-we-speak-wor_1541391.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_knows_we-know-not-what-we-do-when-we-speak-wor_1541391.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/716/percy-bysshe-shelley-476_knows_we-know-not-what-we-do-when-we-speak-wor_1541391.jpg) > “We know not what we do When we speak words.” [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We are unaware of the impact our words have when we speak. **In simple terms:** We don’t know the effect of our speech. Key Takeaway Speak mindfully. Themes communication unconscious impact language Mood thoughtful reflective Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - public speaking - writing - teaching - conflict resolution Key Concepts intentionality social influence Questions to Reflect On - How do your words affect others? - What can you do to choose words carefully? A Different Perspective Words can be misinterpreted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Words](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/words/) ## Related quotes > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [“Those who speak, do not know; those who know, do not speak.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-w-watts/those-who-speak-do-not-know-those-who-know-do-not-speak/) [Alan W. Watts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-w-watts/) > [You speak to me with Words... And I look at you with Feelings...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jhiess-krieg/you-speak-to-me-with-words-and-i-look-at-you-with-feelings/) [Jhiess Krieg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jhiess-krieg/) > [“Those who don't know speak...Those who really know, don't speak!!!!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kre-kre/those-who-don-t-know-speak-those-who-really-know-don-t-speak/) Kre Kre > [“Speak only when your words are more beautiful than silence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/speak-only-when-your-words-are-more-beautiful-than-silence/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It is easier not to speak a word at all than to speak more words than we should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/it-is-easier-not-to-speak-a-word-at-all-than-to-speak-more-words-than/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [He who does not know how to be silent will not know how to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/decimius-magnus-ausonius/he-who-does-not-know-how-to-be-silent-will-not-know-how-to-speak/) [Decimius Magnus Ausonius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/decimius-magnus-ausonius/) > [“Stop talking. If you don't know how to speak with your eyes, don't open your mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elena-levon/stop-talking-if-you-don-t-know-how-to-speak-with-your-eyes-don-t-open/) [Elena Levon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elena-levon/) > [Don't be afraid to say what you don't know, and speak for what you do know. Say, "I can't speak for all Latinas, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-cisneros/don-t-be-afraid-to-say-what-you-don-t-know-and-speak-for-what-you-do/) [Sandra Cisneros](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sandra-cisneros/) > [Those who know do not speak; Those who speak do not know. 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I bleed !”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-fall-upon-the-thorns-of-life-i-bleed/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [“Poets and philosophers are the unacknowledged legislators of the world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/poets-and-philosophers-are-the-unacknowledged-legislators-of-the-world/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Dar'st thou amid the varied multitude To live alone, an isolated thing?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/dar-st-thou-amid-the-varied-multitude-to-live-alone-an-isolated-thing/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Spirit of BEAUTY, that dost consecrate With thine own hues all thou dost shine upon Of human thought or form, where art thou gone?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/spirit-of-beauty-that-dost-consecrate-with-thine-own-hues-all-thou/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [I love tranquil solitude, And such society As is quiet, wise, and good; Between thee and me What difference? but thou dost possess The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/i-love-tranquil-solitude-and-such-society-as-is-quiet-wise-and-good/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [The practice of utter sincerity towards other men would avail to no good end, if they were incapable of practising it towards their own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/the-practice-of-utter-sincerity-towards-other-men-would-avail-to-no/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Thou shoreless flood, which in thy ebb and flow claspest the limits of mortality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/thou-shoreless-flood-which-in-thy-ebb-and-flow-claspest-the-limits-of/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) > [Senseless is the breast and cold Which relenting love would fold; Bloodless are the veins and chill Which the pulse of pain did fill;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/percy-bysshe-shelley/senseless-is-the-breast-and-cold-which-relenting-love-would-fold/) [Percy Bysshe Shelley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) [Explore all 533 Percy Bysshe Shelley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/percy-bysshe-shelley/) ## More Know quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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