THE TONGUE

---

"The boneless tongue,

so small and weak,

Can crush and kill,"

Declares the Greek.

"The tongue destroys

a greater hoard,"

The Turk asserts,

"than does the sword."

A persian proverb wisely saith,

"Lengthy tongue...

an early death;"

Or sometimes takes

this form instead,

"Don't let your tongue

cut off your head."

"The tongue can speak

a word whose speed,"

The Chinese say,

"outstrips the steed."

While Arab sages this impart,

"The tongue's great storehouse

is in the heart."

From Hebrew wit

this maxim sprung,

"though feed should slip,

never let the tongue."

The sacred writer

crowns the whole,

"Who keeps his tongue

doth keep the soul."

                                  Author unknown. . . 

"For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips speak no guile." 1 Peter 3:10

---

Since July 3, 1998