--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Let us always guard our tongue; not that…" description: "\"Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.\" — Saint John Chrysostom" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg" --- # Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always… ![“Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.” quote by Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg) > “Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.” [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Speak only when words are needed and timely, not out of habit or impulse. **In simple terms:** Speak wisely, not constantly. Key Takeaway Choose moments to speak. Themes speech self\_control wisdom Mood thoughtful reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - conflicts - leadership meetings - personal relationships Key Concepts ethics communication discipline Questions to Reflect On - When is silence more powerful than speaking? - How can you gauge the right moment? A Different Perspective Silence can be as harmful as careless speech. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Proper time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proper-time/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Let not the tongue give utterance to the evil that is in thine heart, but command thy tongue to be silent until good shall…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/let-not-the-tongue-give-utterance-to-the-evil-that-is-in-thine-heart/) [Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/) > [To make another person hold his tongue, be you first silent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-make-another-person-hold-his-tongue-be-you-first-silent/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [When your tongue is silent, you can rest in the silence of the forest. When your imagination is silent, the forest speaks to you.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/when-your-tongue-is-silent-you-can-rest-in-the-silence-of-the-forest/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [The only thing that private school did for me was give me this foundation where, if I choose to, I can speak proper English,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/too-short/the-only-thing-that-private-school-did-for-me-was-give-me-this/) [Too Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/too-short/) > [When the medium of the film is English, even the illiterates also should speak in proper English.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mammootty/when-the-medium-of-the-film-is-english-even-the-illiterates-also/) [Mammootty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mammootty/) > [When I say myself, I don't mean just as a woman of color, as a girl who's growing up in the Bronx, as people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sofia-quintero/when-i-say-myself-i-don-t-mean-just-as-a-woman-of-color-as-a-girl-who/) [Sofia Quintero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sofia-quintero/) > [I'm very political without being political. I don't know how to speak proper political language.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taki-theodoracopulos/i-m-very-political-without-being-political-i-don-t-know-how-to-speak/) [Taki Theodoracopulos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taki-theodoracopulos/) > [Sure, I know that I cannot speak in proper English. I know that I can't sing in proper English. I don't care.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/concha-buika/sure-i-know-that-i-cannot-speak-in-proper-english-i-know-that-i-can-t/) [Concha Buika](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/concha-buika/) > [“Listen sharp, think deep, and guard your tongue- Tam al'Thor”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-jordan/listen-sharp-think-deep-and-guard-your-tongue-tam-al-thor/) [Robert Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-jordan/) > [Guard your tongue from the wickedness of judgement .. For your judgement too will soon be upon you .. Fear not the rot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-bones/guard-your-tongue-from-the-wickedness-of-judgement-for-your-judgement/) [Joey Bones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-bones/) > [“You would do well to guard your tongue, lest it be stricken from you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nenia-campbell/you-would-do-well-to-guard-your-tongue-lest-it-be-stricken-from-you/) [Nenia Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nenia-campbell/) > [Guard your tongue from praise as you have guarded it from blame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maruf-karkhi/guard-your-tongue-from-praise-as-you-have-guarded-it-from-blame/) Maruf Karkhi > [Here take a page from my book. Guard your tongue well it is the portal to your Reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marv-stark/here-take-a-page-from-my-book-guard-your-tongue-well-it-is-the-portal/) [Marv Stark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marv-stark/) > [Guard your tongue. Once the words pass your lips they can never be called back again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/guard-your-tongue-once-the-words-pass-your-lips-they-can-never-be/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [The world would be happier if men had the same capacity to be silent that they have to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/the-world-would-be-happier-if-men-had-the-same-capacity-to-be-silent/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) ## More by Saint John Chrysostom > [God measures out affliction to our need.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/god-measures-out-affliction-to-our-need/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [If we approach with faith, we too will see Jesus... for the Eucharistic table takes the place of the crib. Here the Body of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/if-we-approach-with-faith-we-too-will-see-jesus-for-the-eucharistic/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [The slave should be resigned to his lot, in obeying his master he is obeying God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/the-slave-should-be-resigned-to-his-lot-in-obeying-his-master-he-is/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Every trace of the old philosophy and literatureof the ancient world has vanished from the face of the earth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/every-trace-of-the-old-philosophy-and-literatureof-the-ancient-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What the soul is in the body, let Christians be in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-the-soul-is-in-the-body-let-christians-be-in-the-world/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [...there is nothing that has been created without some reason, even if human nature is incapable of knowing precisely the reason for them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/there-is-nothing-that-has-been-created-without-some-reason-even-if/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It is certainly a greater and more wonderful work to change the minds of enemies, bringing about a change of soul, than to kill…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-is-certainly-a-greater-and-more-wonderful-work-to-change-the-minds/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [As a moth gnaws a garment, so doth envy consume a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/as-a-moth-gnaws-a-garment-so-doth-envy-consume-a-man/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What is it to be a fool for Christ? It is to control one's thoughts when they stray out of line. It is to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-is-it-to-be-a-fool-for-christ-it-is-to-control-one-s-thoughts/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [It brings comfort to have companions in whatever happens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/it-brings-comfort-to-have-companions-in-whatever-happens/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [I do not think there are many among Bishops that will be saved, but many more that perish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/i-do-not-think-there-are-many-among-bishops-that-will-be-saved-but/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [When an archer desires to shoot his arrows successfully, he first takes great pains over his posture and aligns himself accurately with his mark.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/when-an-archer-desires-to-shoot-his-arrows-successfully-he-first/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Whether, therefore, we receive what we ask for, or do not receive it, let us still continue steadfast in prayer. For to fail in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/whether-therefore-we-receive-what-we-ask-for-or-do-not-receive-it-let/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [Not to share our own wealth with the poor is theft from the poor and deprivation of their means of life; we do not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/not-to-share-our-own-wealth-with-the-poor-is-theft-from-the-poor-and/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) > [What shall I say! And how shall I describe this Birth to you? For this wonder fills me with astonishment. The Ancient of Days…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/what-shall-i-say-and-how-shall-i-describe-this-birth-to-you-for-this/) [Saint John Chrysostom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) [Explore all 169 Saint John Chrysostom quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/) ## More Proper time quotes > [Preachers are stewards whom the Lord has ‘set over his household servants to provide them with food at the proper time.’ After all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-farrar-capon/preachers-are-stewards-whom-the-lord-has-set-over-his-household/) [Robert Farrar Capon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-farrar-capon/) > [I observed that the successful farmer worked at his job. He would do his plowing, disking, harrowing, seeding, and harvesting in the proper season…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nathan-eldon-tanner/i-observed-that-the-successful-farmer-worked-at-his-job-he-would-do/) [Nathan Eldon Tanner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nathan-eldon-tanner/) > [Haste is productive of injury, and so is too much hesitation. He is the wisest man who does everything at the proper time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/haste-is-productive-of-injury-and-so-is-too-much-hesitation-he-is-the/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Hard work is often the easy work you did not do at the proper time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-meltzer/hard-work-is-often-the-easy-work-you-did-not-do-at-the-proper-time/) [Bernard Meltzer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-meltzer/) > [All comes at the proper time to him who knows how to wait.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vincent-de-paul/all-comes-at-the-proper-time-to-him-who-knows-how-to-wait/) [Vincent de Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vincent-de-paul/) > [“All my dreams will be fulfilled at the proper time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/all-my-dreams-will-be-fulfilled-at-the-proper-time/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [Misses! the tale that I relate This lesson seems to carry-- Choose not alone a proper mate, But proper time to marry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/misses-the-tale-that-i-relate-this-lesson-seems-to-carry-choose-not/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [A country of a thousand war-chariots cannot be administered unless the ruler attends strictly to business, punctually observes his promises, is economical in expenditure,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-country-of-a-thousand-war-chariots-cannot-be-administered-unless/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [It might be something as simple as saying the right word to the right person at the right time-and that could change the course…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herbie-hancock/it-might-be-something-as-simple-as-saying-the-right-word-to-the-right/) [Herbie Hancock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herbie-hancock/) > [“Proper time management makes many things possible.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-nyarangi-akoya/proper-time-management-makes-many-things-possible/) [JOEL NYARANGI AKOYA](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-nyarangi-akoya/) > [Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you, casting all your anxieties on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-peter/humble-yourselves-therefore-under-the-mighty-hand-of-god-so-that-at/) [Saint Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-peter/) > [“When is the proper time for a child to start walking?” Korczak asks in these pages. “When she does. When should her teeth start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sandra-joseph/when-is-the-proper-time-for-a-child-to-start-walking-korczak-asks-in/) Sandra Joseph > [Knowing how to use your voice so it makes sense to your dog, using words in a way your dog can understand, correcting him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-kilcommons/knowing-how-to-use-your-voice-so-it-makes-sense-to-your-dog-using/) Brian Kilcommons > [Thanks to the gods I didn't spend much time while growing up with my grandfather's mistress and preserved the flower of my youth, waiting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/thanks-to-the-gods-i-didn-t-spend-much-time-while-growing-up-with-my/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [The longest time that man may live, The lapse of generations of his race, The continent entire of time itself, Bears not proportion to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-sheridan-knowles/the-longest-time-that-man-may-live-the-lapse-of-generations-of-his/) [James Sheridan Knowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-sheridan-knowles/) [Browse all 34 Proper time quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/proper-time/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper time.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Saint John Chrysostom" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-silent/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Proper time" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-silent/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/988/saint-john-chrysostom-2375_proper-time_let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that_218035.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Let us always guard our tongue; not that it should always be silent, but that it should speak at the proper…” — Saint John Chrysostom", "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": "Saint John Chrysostom", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-john-chrysostom/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Let us always guard our tongue;...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-silent/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-john-chrysostom/let-us-always-guard-our-tongue-not-that-it-should-always-be-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 } } ] } ```