The Tongue

by Philip B. Strong

"The boneless tongue, so small and weak,

Can crush and kill," declared the Greek.

"The tongue destroys a great horde,"

The Turks assert, "than does the sword."

A Persian proverb wisely saith,

"A lengthy tongue -- an earthly death,"

Or sometimes takes this form instead:

"Don't let your tongue cut off your head."

"The tongue can speak a word whose speed,"

says Chinese, "outstrips the steed."

While Arab sages, this impart:

"The tongue's great storehouse is the heart."

From Hebrew wit this maxim sprung,

"Though feet should slip, never the tongue."

The sacred writer crowns the whole:

"Who keeps the tongue, doth keeps his soul."

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