Context No. 3430 of 4322 · Sirach

Sirach 28:17-26: in context

17The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh, but the stroke of a tongue will break bones. 18Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, yet not so many as those who have fallen because of the tongue. 19Happy is he who is sheltered from it, who has not passed through its wrath, who has not drawn its yoke, and has not been bound with its bands. 20For its yoke is a yoke of iron, and its bands are bands of brass. 21Its death is an evil death, and Hades is better than it. 22It will not have rule over godly men. They will not be burned in its flame. 23Those who forsake the Lord will fall into it. It will burn among them, and won’t be quenched. It will be sent against them like a lion. It will destroy them like a leopard. 24As you hedge your possession about with thorns, and secure your silver and your gold, 25so make a balance and a weight for your words, and make a door and a bar for your mouth. 26Take heed lest you slip with it, lest you fall before one who lies in wait.

Sirach warns of the terrible power of the tongue. A whip leaves a mark on the flesh, he says, but the stroke of the tongue breaks bones. Many have fallen by the edge of the sword, yet more have fallen because of the tongue. Words can wound in ways that never fully heal, and destroy what no weapon could reach.

And so he counsels a careful guarding of speech. As you fence in your property with thorns and lock up your silver and gold, so make a balance and a weight for your words, and a door and a bar for your mouth. If we take such care to protect our possessions, how much more should we guard the tongue, which can do such lasting harm. There is wisdom in weighing words before we speak them, in putting a guard on the mouth, so that we do not slip and cause a wound we can never take back. What comes so easily out of the mouth can do damage that lasts far longer than we intended.

Do I guard my tongue as carefully as I guard what I value, weighing my words before I speak so I do not cause wounds I cannot undo?

Sources

Sirach 28:17: "The stroke of a whip makes a mark in the flesh, but the stroke of a tongue will break bones."
Sirach 28:25: "So make a balance and a weight for your words, and make a door and a bar for your mouth."
James 3:5: "So the tongue is also a little member, and boasts great things. See how a small fire can spread to a large forest!"