Talking

And then a scholar said, Speak of Talking.

Then a scholar said, Tell us about Talking.

And he answered, saying:

And he answered:

You talk when you cease to be at peace with your thoughts;

You talk when you are no longer at peace with your thoughts.

And when you can no longer dwell in the solitude of your heart you live in your lips, and sound is a diversion and a pastime.

And when you can no longer be alone with your heart, you live in your words. Sound becomes a distraction and a pastime.

And in much of your talking, thinking is half murdered.

And much of your talking half kills your thinking.

For thought is a bird of space, that in a cage of words may indeed unfold its wings but cannot fly.

For thought is a bird of the open sky. In a cage of words, it may spread its wings, but it cannot fly.

There are those among you who seek the talkative through fear of being alone.

Some of you seek out talkative people because you fear being alone.

The silence of aloneness reveals to their eyes their naked selves and they would escape.

In the silence of being alone, they see their naked selves and want to escape.

And there are those who talk, and without knowledge or forethought reveal a truth which they themselves do not understand.

And some people speak and, without knowing or thinking ahead, reveal a truth they do not understand themselves.

And there are those who have the truth within them, but they tell it not in words.

And some people have the truth within them, but they do not put it into words.

In the bosom of such as these the spirit dwells in rhythmic silence.

In the hearts of such people, the spirit lives in rhythmic silence.

When you meet your friend on the roadside or in the market place, let the spirit in you move your lips and direct your tongue.

When you meet your friend on the road or at the market, let your spirit guide what you say.

Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear of his ear;

Let the voice within your voice speak to the ear within his ear.

For his soul will keep the truth of your heart as the taste of the wine is remembered

For his soul will remember the truth of your heart just as the taste of wine is remembered.

When the colour is forgotten and the vessel is no more.

When the color is forgotten and the vessel is gone.