--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's impossible to speak what it is not…" description: "\"It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.\" — Sophocles" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png" --- # It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do. ![“It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.” quote by Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png) > “It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.” [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One cannot speak about actions that lack noble intent; speech reflects moral character. **In simple terms:** Talk only about noble deeds. Key Takeaway Align words with virtue. Themes ethics speech integrity Mood thoughtful philosophical Type literary ethical When to use this quote - public speaking - leadership - teaching - writing Key Concepts Greek tragedy morality communication Questions to Reflect On - What noble act will you speak about? - Can speech change without noble intent? A Different Perspective Noble intent is hard to achieve for many. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Impossible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) [Impossible Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible-speak-835086/) [Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/noble/) [Speak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak/) [Speak Noble](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-noble-5795046/) ## Related quotes > [But it seems impossible to speak and yet say nothing, you think you have succeeded, but you always overlook something.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-beckett/but-it-seems-impossible-to-speak-and-yet-say-nothing-you-think-you/) [Samuel Beckett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-beckett/) > [It is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-popper/it-is-impossible-to-speak-in-such-a-way-that-you-cannot-be/) [Karl Popper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-popper/) > [It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-peter/it-is-impossible-for-us-not-to-speak-about-what-we-have-seen-and-heard/) [Saint Peter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-peter/) > [“lemonade, suntan lotion, books, espadrilles, sunglasses, colored pens, and music, which he listened to with headphones, so that it was impossible to speak to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andre-aciman/lemonade-suntan-lotion-books-espadrilles-sunglasses-colored-pens-and/) [André Aciman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andre-aciman/) > [“Always remember that it is impossible to speak in such a way that you cannot be misunderstood: There will always be some who misunderstand…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-moore/always-remember-that-it-is-impossible-to-speak-in-such-a-way-that-you/) [Graham Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/graham-moore/) > [You may speak but a word to a child, and in that child there may be slumbering a noble heart which shall stir the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/you-may-speak-but-a-word-to-a-child-and-in-that-child-there-may-be/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [The word of the Lord is this: "Just bless those that persecute you and ask for Justice, for the battle does not belong to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-loren/the-word-of-the-lord-is-this-just-bless-those-that-persecute-you-and/) [Julia Loren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-loren/) > [In the state of nature, wrong-doing is impossible; or, if anyone does wrong, it is to himself, not to another. 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We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I certainly don't think that the heirs of the American Revolution were a particularly noble class.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands/i-certainly-don-t-think-that-the-heirs-of-the-american-revolution/) [H. W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands/) ## More by Sophocles > [Those whose life is long still strive for gain, and for all mortals all things take second place to money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/those-whose-life-is-long-still-strive-for-gain-and-for-all-mortals/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [God's dice always have a lucky roll.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/god-s-dice-always-have-a-lucky-roll/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A fool cannot be an actor, though an actor may act a fool's part.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-fool-cannot-be-an-actor-though-an-actor-may-act-a-fool-s-part/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Go then if you must, but remember, no matter how foolish your deeds, those who love you will love you still.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/go-then-if-you-must-but-remember-no-matter-how-foolish-your-deeds/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Man's worst ill is stubbornness of heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/man-s-worst-ill-is-stubbornness-of-heart/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [A lie never lives to be old.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/a-lie-never-lives-to-be-old/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [How dangerous can false reasoning prove!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/how-dangerous-can-false-reasoning-prove/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [Why should man fear since chance is all in all for him, and he can clearly foreknow nothing? 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Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-l-trump/) [Browse all 7,633 Impossible quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/impossible/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Sophocles" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not-noble-to-do/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Impossible" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not-noble-to-do/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02a/sophocles-370_impossible_it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not_2363309.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It's impossible to speak what it is not noble to do.” — Sophocles", "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": "Sophocles", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It's impossible to speak what it...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not-noble-to-do/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/it-s-impossible-to-speak-what-it-is-not-noble-to-do/#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 } } ] } ```