Sense shines with a double luster when it is set in humility. An able yet humble man is a jewel worth a kingdom.
William PennRead
Speak properly, and in as few words as you can, but always plainly; for the end of speech is not ostentation, but to be understood.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Effective communication requires clarity and brevity to ensure understanding.
William Penn emphasizes the importance of speaking clearly and concisely. He argues that the primary purpose of speech is not to show off or impress others, but to be understood by the listener, promoting effective communication that transcends mere decoration of language.
Themes
CommunicationClarityBrevityUnderstandingSpeech
In practice
Example use cases
In a public speaking event, one might use this quote to stress the importance of concise communication.
More from William Penn
All quotes βWhere thou art Obliged to speak, be sure speak the Truth: For Equivocation is half way to Lying, as Lying, the whole way to Hell.
William PennRead
Man, being made reasonable, and so a thinking creature, there is nothing more worthy of his being than the right direction and employment of his thoughts; since upon this depends both his usefulness to the public, and his own present and future benefit in all respects.
William PennRead
Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.
William PennRead
To be a man's own fool is bad enough, but the vain man is everybody's.
William PennRead
Unless virtue guide us our choice must be wrong.
William PennRead
Similar quotes
Man, if I get a chance to speak on the microphone, I've got to say something somewhere in there. You know, I'm going to laugh and have fun, too, but something has to be said that has some substance, because this is a platform, and the power that we have with words and with this microphone is phenomenal.
CommonRead
Despite all the technical improvements, it still boils down to a man or a woman and a microphone, playing music, sharing stories, talking about issues -- communicating with an audience.
Casey KasemRead
You cannot speak that which you do not know. You cannot share that which you do not feel. You cannot translate that which you do not have. And you cannot give that which you do not possess. To give it and to share it, and for it to be effective, you first need to have it. Good communication starts with good preparation.
Jim RohnRead
The art of conversation lies in listening.
Malcolm ForbesRead
You cannot not communicate. Every behavior is a kind of communication. Because behavior does not have a counterpart (there is no anti-behavior), it is not possible not to communicate.
Paul WatzlawickRead
It takes two to speak the truth: one to speak, and another to hear.
Henry David ThoreauRead