--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I am speechless: what can I answer? I put…" description: "\"“I am speechless: what can I answer? I put hand on my mouth. I have said too much already; now I will speak no more.”\" — Stephen Mitchell" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/stephen-mitchell-16811_silence_i-am-speechless-what-can-i-answer-i-put_452668.png" --- # I am speechless: what can I answer? I put hand on my… ![“I am speechless: what can I answer? I put hand on my mouth. I have said too much already; now I will speak no more.” quote by Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/stephen-mitchell-16811_silence_i-am-speechless-what-can-i-answer-i-put_452668.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/stephen-mitchell-16811_silence_i-am-speechless-what-can-i-answer-i-put_452668.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9e0/stephen-mitchell-16811_silence_i-am-speechless-what-can-i-answer-i-put_452668.png) > ““I am speechless: what can I answer? I put hand on my mouth. I have said too much already; now I will speak no more.”” [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker feels overwhelmed, choosing silence after speaking too much, indicating a need for restraint and reflection. **In simple terms:** Too much spoken, choose silence. Key Takeaway Pause before speaking further. Themes self‑control reflection communication Mood reflective quiet Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal crisis - public speaking - conflict resolution Key Concepts overwhelm silence self‑regulation Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen silence over speaking? - What could you gain by speaking now? 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I wipe my hand across the back of my mouth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-l-james/i-wipe-my-hand-across-the-back-of-my-mouth/) [E.L. James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-l-james/) > [“Glinda waved dismissively. Then she tucked her hand against her mouth and bit her knuckles. It was hard to tell if her pretty ways…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/glinda-waved-dismissively-then-she-tucked-her-hand-against-her-mouth/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“don’t make me walk back without being beside you, holding your hand.” He lowered one arm from my waist to draw my hand to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicole-williams/don-t-make-me-walk-back-without-being-beside-you-holding-your-hand-he/) [Nicole Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicole-williams/) ## More by Stephen Mitchell > [ \[Jesus\] teaches that just as the sun gives light to both wicked and good, and the rain brings nourishment to righteous and unrighteous, God's… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/jesus-teaches-that-just-as-the-sun-gives-light-to-both-wicked-and/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [True mastery can be gained by letting things go their own way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/true-mastery-can-be-gained-by-letting-things-go-their-own-way/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [Education is no longer thought of as a preparation for adult life, but as a continuing process of growth and development from birth until…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/education-is-no-longer-thought-of-as-a-preparation-for-adult-life-but/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [“The Master is not trapped in opposites. His this is also a that. He sees that life becomes death and death becomes life, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/the-master-is-not-trapped-in-opposites-his-this-is-also-a-that-he/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [What is the gospel according to Jesus? Simply this: that the love we all long for in our innermost heart is already present, beyond…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/what-is-the-gospel-according-to-jesus-simply-this-that-the-love-we/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [When speech comes from a quiet heart, it has the strength of the orchid, and the fragrance of rock.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/when-speech-comes-from-a-quiet-heart-it-has-the-strength-of-the/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [“Hmm,' said the King. 'I must write that down in my book of aphorisms. 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Yet losing is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/what-people-love-about-life-is-its-miraculous-beauty-what-they-hate/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) > [“all streams flow to the sea because it is lower than they are. humility gives it its power. if you want to govern the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-mitchell/all-streams-flow-to-the-sea-because-it-is-lower-than-they-are-2/) [Stephen Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) [Explore all 38 Stephen Mitchell quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-mitchell/) ## More Silence quotes > [Let us have the luxury of silence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-austen/let-us-have-the-luxury-of-silence/) [Jane Austen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-austen/) > [Alone in a world, With millions of souls Walking in circles Trapped in their dreams unhealthy, unclean walking in circles, now do not disturb…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chester-bennington/alone-in-a-world-with-millions-of-souls-walking-in-circles-trapped-in/) [Chester Bennington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chester-bennington/) > [I just can’t, Nick, okay? Now, please give me a second to lie here in silence and bleed.” – Caleb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/i-just-can-t-nick-okay-now-please-give-me-a-second-to-lie-here-in/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“SILENT LIKE SLEEP You appear by my side, silent like sleep. Soft hair, a little wild. No fear, gentle like a calm river. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-goddard/silent-like-sleep-you-appear-by-my-side-silent-like-sleep-soft-hair-a/) [Donna Goddard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-goddard/) > [“A word is not filling in the gaps, but the fertilization of silence.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dejan-stojanovic/a-word-is-not-filling-in-the-gaps-but-the-fertilization-of-silence/) [Dejan Stojanovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dejan-stojanovic/) > [“I’m not like her. I don’t steal people.” Mr. Tibbalt watched her, saying nothing. 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Let's sit together and speak in silence, Let's be light to each other's way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abhijit-naskar/when-all-are-one-sentience-language-withers-and-fades-away-let-s-sit/) [Abhijit Naskar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abhijit-naskar/) > [True friendship is sitting together in silence and feeling like it was the best conversation you've ever had.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/true-friendship-is-sitting-together-in-silence-and-feeling-like-it/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“So what did God say to me in the silence that morning? I’m not sure, but I think God said something like, Don’t try…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-held-evans/so-what-did-god-say-to-me-in-the-silence-that-morning-i-m-not-sure/) [Rachel Held Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-held-evans/) > [If nothing that can be seen can either be God or represent Him to us as He is, then to find God we must…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/if-nothing-that-can-be-seen-can-either-be-god-or-represent-him-to-us/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [I suppose he'll just have to do," she amended. "You'll have to suffer in silence with your male model...I feel for you." 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