--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Without a doubt, one of the things which…" description: "\"Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. When one has reached the point of no longer committing fault..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_amiable_without-a-doubt-one-of-the-things-which_1680695.jpg" --- # Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from… ![“Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. When one has reached the point of no longer committing faults in speech, he has surely reached perfection, as was said by the Holy Spirit. The worst defect in talking is talking too much. Hence, in speech be…” quote by Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_amiable_without-a-doubt-one-of-the-things-which_1680695.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_amiable_without-a-doubt-one-of-the-things-which_1680695.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40e/saint-francis-de-sales-2108_amiable_without-a-doubt-one-of-the-things-which_1680695.jpg) > “Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. When one has reached the point of no longer committing faults in speech, he has surely reached perfection, as was said by the Holy Spirit. The worst defect in talking is talking too much. Hence, in speech be brief and virtuous, brief and gentle, brief and simple, brief and charitable, brief and amiable.” [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Excessive speech hinders moral perfection; brevity and kindness in words reflect spiritual maturity. **In simple terms:** Speak briefly and kindly. Key Takeaway Practice concise, gentle communication. Themes speech virtue humility perfection discipline Mood contemplative calm Type ethical spiritual When to use this quote - public speaking - personal relationships - writing - teaching Key Concepts ethical communication spiritual discipline Questions to Reflect On - What benefits arise from speaking less? - How can you cultivate brief, charitable speech? A Different Perspective Cultural norms may value verbosity over brevity. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amiable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amiable/) [Attachment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attachment/) [Attaining Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attaining-perfection-954131/) [Charitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charitable/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Defects](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defects/) [Doubt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doubt/) [Faults](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faults/) [Faults Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/faults-speech-954130/) [Gentle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentle/) [Holy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy/) [Holy spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/holy-spirit/) [Perfection](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection/) [Perfection Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/perfection-tongue-954129/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Simple](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/simple/) [Speech](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speech/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Talking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking/) [Talking too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/talking-too-much/) [Tongue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tongue/) [Too much](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/too-much/) [Virtuous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/virtuous/) [Worst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worst/) ## Related quotes > [Whoever we are, wherever we are, however we are, whatever our condition is, there is no impediment to attaining the perfection of life-if we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radhanath-swami/whoever-we-are-wherever-we-are-however-we-are-whatever-our-condition/) [Radhanath Swami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radhanath-swami/) > [“I choose to choose few words each day. Yes! few words that count. Few words that can make impact. Few words that talk much.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/i-choose-to-choose-few-words-each-day-yes-few-words-that-count-few/) [Ernest Agyemang Yeboah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-agyemang-yeboah/) > [We seldom repent talking little, but very often talking too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/we-seldom-repent-talking-little-but-very-often-talking-too-much/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [As a child, all you see is that adults are not playing. Adults are not talking too much. Adults don't want to relate to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alejandro-zambra/as-a-child-all-you-see-is-that-adults-are-not-playing-adults-are-not/) [Alejandro Zambra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alejandro-zambra/) > [Some actors like encouragement. Some actors prefer to have pressure. And sometimes, for some actors, its better to give your comment by silence, because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wong-kar-wai/some-actors-like-encouragement-some-actors-prefer-to-have-pressure/) [Wong Kar-wai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wong-kar-wai/) > [Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-maud-montgomery/isn-t-it-splendid-to-think-of-all-the-things-there-are-to-find-out-3/) [Lucy Maud Montgomery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-maud-montgomery/) > [“Busy hands achieve more than idle tongues.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/busy-hands-achieve-more-than-idle-tongues/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Words often bring with them the illusion of transparency, as though they allowed us to understand everything, control everything, put everything in order. Modernity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-sarah/words-often-bring-with-them-the-illusion-of-transparency-as-though/) [Robert Sarah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-sarah/) > [“Talking is fantastically overrated. Too many people do too much of it. It stuns the hell out of me how so many people like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-alire-s-enz/talking-is-fantastically-overrated-too-many-people-do-too-much-of-it/) [Benjamin Alire Sáenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-alire-s-enz/) > [“Here’s a story, and you don’t have to visit many houses to find it. One person is talking, the other one is not really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-oliver/here-s-a-story-and-you-don-t-have-to-visit-many-houses-to-find-it-one/) [Mary Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-oliver/) > [One of the basic causes for all the trouble in the world today is that people talk too much and think too little. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-chase-smith/one-of-the-basic-causes-for-all-the-trouble-in-the-world-today-is/) [Margaret Chase Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-chase-smith/) > [The forces of retribution are always listening. They never sleep.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meg-greenfield/the-forces-of-retribution-are-always-listening-they-never-sleep/) [Meg Greenfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meg-greenfield/) > [“The profundity of that remark reduces me to silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-elgin/the-profundity-of-that-remark-reduces-me-to-silence/) [Mary Elgin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-elgin/) > [We used to say that those amongst us with the most sins are those who spend their time talking about the sins of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-sirin/we-used-to-say-that-those-amongst-us-with-the-most-sins-are-those-who/) [Ibn Sirin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-sirin/) > [You've got to avoid overcoaching. You've got to avoid talking too much. You've got to avoid showing players that you're the boss every time.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/red-auerbach/you-ve-got-to-avoid-overcoaching-you-ve-got-to-avoid-talking-too-much/) [Red Auerbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/red-auerbach/) ## More by Saint Francis de Sales > [Flowers often grow more beautifully on dung-hills than in gardens that look beautifully kept.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/flowers-often-grow-more-beautifully-on-dung-hills-than-in-gardens/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Friendship requires great communication.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/friendship-requires-great-communication/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [The thoughts of those moved by natural human love are almost completely fastened on the beloved, their hearts are filled with passion for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/the-thoughts-of-those-moved-by-natural-human-love-are-almost/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [It matters little how one begins, provided that he be resolved to go on well, and to end well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/it-matters-little-how-one-begins-provided-that-he-be-resolved-to-go/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Those who love to be feared fear to be loved, and they themselves are more afraid than anyone, for whereas other men fear only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/those-who-love-to-be-feared-fear-to-be-loved-and-they-themselves-are/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Go to your confessor; open your heart to him; display to him all the recesses of your soul; take the advice that he will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/go-to-your-confessor-open-your-heart-to-him-display-to-him-all-the/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [It is better to remain silent than to speak the truth ill-humoredly, and spoil an excellent dish by covering it with bad sauce.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/it-is-better-to-remain-silent-than-to-speak-the-truth-ill-humoredly/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Friendships begun in this world will be taken up again, never to be broken off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/friendships-begun-in-this-world-will-be-taken-up-again-never-to-be/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [And when children begin to use their reason, fathers and mothers should take great pains to fill their hearts with the fear of God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/and-when-children-begin-to-use-their-reason-fathers-and-mothers/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [Pride dies 20 minutes after death.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/pride-dies-20-minutes-after-death/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [To be pleased at correction and reproofs shows that one loves the virtues which are contrary to those faults for which he is corrected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/to-be-pleased-at-correction-and-reproofs-shows-that-one-loves-the/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [If you would fall into any extreme, let it be on the side of gentleness. The human mind is so constructed that it resists…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/if-you-would-fall-into-any-extreme-let-it-be-on-the-side-of/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [One single act done with aridity of spirit is worth more than many done with feelings of devotion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/one-single-act-done-with-aridity-of-spirit-is-worth-more-than-many/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [All of us can attain to Christian virtue and holiness, no matter in what condition of life we live and no matter what our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/all-of-us-can-attain-to-christian-virtue-and-holiness-no-matter-in/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [We must visit Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament a hundred thousand times a day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/we-must-visit-jesus-in-the-blessed-sacrament-a-hundred-thousand-times/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) [Explore all 185 Saint Francis de Sales quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) ## More Amiable quotes > [We must hold fast to the austere but true doctrine as to what really governs politics and saves or destroys states. Having in mind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/we-must-hold-fast-to-the-austere-but-true-doctrine-as-to-what-really/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [Drivers in a traffic jam, frustrated by each others presence, are not the most amiable of men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-riesman/drivers-in-a-traffic-jam-frustrated-by-each-others-presence-are-not/) [David Riesman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-riesman/) > [“However amiable her temper, her heart was not likely to be easily touched.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/however-amiable-her-temper-her-heart-was-not-likely-to-be-easily/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [In the taverns all was amiable and easy, but the coffeehouses were cauldrons of edgy malcontents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-holland/in-the-taverns-all-was-amiable-and-easy-but-the-coffeehouses-were/) [Barbara Holland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-holland/) > [If you'd be beloved, make yourself amiable. A true friend is the best possession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/if-you-d-be-beloved-make-yourself-amiable-a-true-friend-is-the-best/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [Our respect for the dead, when they are just dead, is something wonderful, and the way we show it more wonderful still. We show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ruskin/our-respect-for-the-dead-when-they-are-just-dead-is-something/) [John Ruskin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ruskin/) > [There are only two kinds of people in the modern world who know what they are after. One, quite frankly, is the Communist. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geoffrey-fisher/there-are-only-two-kinds-of-people-in-the-modern-world-who-know-what/) [Geoffrey Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geoffrey-fisher/) > [He could not forgive her, but he could not be unfeeling. Though condemning her for the past, and considering it with high and unjust…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/he-could-not-forgive-her-but-he-could-not-be-unfeeling-though/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Aamir and Kiran Rao are a very nice, gentle and amiable couple.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shatrughan-sinha/aamir-and-kiran-rao-are-a-very-nice-gentle-and-amiable-couple/) [Shatrughan Sinha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shatrughan-sinha/) > [The beauty of the person of Christ, as represented in the Scripture, consists in things invisible unto the eyes of flesh. They are such…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-owen/the-beauty-of-the-person-of-christ-as-represented-in-the-scripture/) [John Owen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-owen/) > [Failure on the other hand is infectious. The world is full of charming failures (for all charming people have something to conceal, usually their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cyril-connolly/failure-on-the-other-hand-is-infectious-the-world-is-full-of-charming/) [Cyril Connolly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cyril-connolly/) > [Of all the Beauties, it is that which attracts the most lasting Admiration, gives the greatest Charm to every thing we say or do,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eliza-haywood/of-all-the-beauties-it-is-that-which-attracts-the-most-lasting/) [Eliza Haywood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eliza-haywood/) > [Admonition never sinks so deeply on the heart as in the hour of trial; young, amiable as you are, life teems, I doubt not,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/regina-maria-roche/admonition-never-sinks-so-deeply-on-the-heart-as-in-the-hour-of-trial/) [Regina Maria Roche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/regina-maria-roche/) > [Paul Ryan, who teamed up with Akin in the House to sponsor harsh anti-abortion bills, may look young and hip and new generation, with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-dowd/paul-ryan-who-teamed-up-with-akin-in-the-house-to-sponsor-harsh-anti/) [Maureen Dowd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-dowd/) > [It is an amiable part of human nature, that we should love our animals; it is even better to love them to the point…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stevie-smith/it-is-an-amiable-part-of-human-nature-that-we-should-love-our-animals/) [Stevie Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stevie-smith/) [Browse all 121 Amiable quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amiable/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Without a doubt, one of the things which keeps us from attaining perfection is our tongue. 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