The power and peril of spoken words

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 381

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 381

The power and peril of spoken words
1 Ḥadīth
Ḥadīth 476

۳۸۱. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الْكَلاَمُ فِي وَثَاقِكَ مَا لَمْ تَتَكَلَّمْ بِهِ، فَإذَا تَكَلَّمْتَ بِهِ صِرْتَ فِي وَثَاقِهِ، فَاخْزُنْ لِسَانَكَ كَمَا تَخْزُنُ ذَهَبَكَ وَوَرِقَكَ فَرُبَّ كَلِمَةٍ سَلَبَتْ نِعْمَةً وَجَلَبَتْ نِقْمَةً.

381. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Words are in your control until you have not uttered them; but when you have spoken them out you are under their control. Therefore, guard your tongue as you guard your gold and silver, for often one expression snatches away a blessing and invites punishment.