Ben Sira 20:1-8

1 A person can be rebuked in the wrong way; it may be wiser to keep quiet than to speak.

2 But it is much better to rebuke the person than to keep your anger bottled up.

3 Admit when you are wrong, and you will avoid embarrassment.

4 Using force to get a point across is like a castrated man trying to rape a young woman.

5 Some people are thought to be wise because they don't talk much; others are disliked because they talk too much.

6 Some people keep quiet because they don't have anything to say; others keep quiet because they know the right time to speak.

7 A wise person will not speak until the right moment, but a bragging fool doesn't know when that time is.

8 No one can stand a person who talks too long and will not give others a chance to speak.