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“A man ten times regrets having spoken, for the once he regrets his silence. And why? Because the fact of having spoken is an external fact, which may involve one in annoyances, since it is an actuality. But the fact of having kept silent! Yet this is the most dangerous thing of all. For by keeping silent one is relegated solely to oneself, no actuality comes to a man’s aid by punishing him, by bringing down upon him the consequences of his speech. No, in this respect, to be silent is the easy way. But he who knows what the dreadful is, must for this very reason be most fearful of every fault, of every sin, which takes an inward direction and leaves no outward trace.” — Søren Kierkegaard
A man ten times regrets having
spoken, for the once he regrets his silence. And why? Because the fact
of having spoken is an external fact, which may involve one in
annoyances, since it is an actuality. But the fact of having kept silent!
Yet this is the most dangerous thing of all. For by keeping silent one is
relegated solely to oneself, no actuality comes to a man’s aid by
punishing him, by bringing down upon him the consequences of his
speech. No, in this respect, to be silent is the easy way. But he who
knows what the dreadful is, must for this very reason be most fearful
of every fault, of every sin, which takes an inward direction and leaves
no outward trace.