Tirukural.Chapter 20:Avoidance of Pointless SpeechKural 191

Everyone is disgusted by a man

who offends one and all with meaningless chatter.
Kural 192

Uttering useless words to crowds is worse
than committing unkindnesses toward companions.
Kural 193

A long and pointless discourse itself declares
to all the speaker’s lack of worth.
Kural 194

Worthless words are doubly unprofitable: the listeners’
enjoyment is lost, and the speaker’s own virtues vanish.
Kural 195

Prestige and popularity flee the best of men
the moment they speak inane and useless words.
Kural 196

Do not call him a man who enjoys displaying
his own empty words. Rather, call him the chaff of men.
Kural 197

Let the wise, if they deem it necessary, speak even unpleasant
words, but it is good if they always refrain from pointless speech.
Kural 198

Even in search of extraordinary gains, the wise
will never speak trivial or ungainful words.
Kural 199

The wise, faultless and free from ignorance,
never utter pointless words, even forgetfully.
Kural 200

In your speaking, say only that which is purposeful.
Never utter words that lack purpose.

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