LET all thy words a Christian import bear,
Let them, with grace, at all times season'd be,
That they may knowledge give to all that hear,
And edify their souls in some degree.

Both life and death upon thy lips are hung;
Guard thou them well from slanders vile and foul:
Let no such language e'er defile thy tongue;
Keep well thy lips, and thou shalt keep thy soul.

In thy expressions, imitate the Lord,
And speak, as he was always wont, the truth:
For no deceit, or no unseemly word,
Proceeded ever from his hallow'd mouth.

Be slow to speak, but always swift to hear,
Thy ears are twain, but single is thy tongue:
Loquaciousness does nought but error bear:
But none were hurt by being silent long.

Before thou speakest, think a little space -
Think what the Lord himself wou'd have thee say;
Then utter freely what is fraught with grace,
And tends to make, e'en Pagans, Christ obey.

Let no foul language from thy heart arise,
No foolish jests, no drollery obscene,
No taunts, no vaunts, no menaces, no lies:
Let decency in all thy speech be seen.

From slander, and from calumny refrain;
So shalt thou save thy precious soul alive:
But if thou dost not thy loose tongue restrain,
Thou shalt correction for thy words receive.

Use thou the language of the holy land,
Of God, and of his Word, oft mention make:
For by thy language men will understand
From what rich mine thou didst thy treasure take.

Let not tremendous oaths thy mouth defile,
Nor by the flesh and blood of Jesus swear;
Thou tramplest on thy Saviour's gore, the while
Thou dost proceed in such a vile career.

Ne'er of the Gospel any mention make,
Without due fear, respect, and rev'rence meet :
Whoe'er in vain God's holy name does take,
Shall be found guilty at his judgement seat.

Never speak more than what is requisite;
But when thou speakest, speak not what is wrong;
For if thou dost not speak the thing that's right,
'Tis better far that thou shou'dst hold thy tongue.

Take heed thou art not of a double tongue;
For God abhors all those, that falsehoods tell:
Lies from the father of all fiction sprung,
And ev'ry liar is the child of hell.

The truth with all thy faculties maintain;
God, and good men do in the truth delight :
But liars never shall belief obtain,
Although they swear, and chance to swear aright.

Ne'er let it be thy custom to traduce
Thy absent neighbour with an evil word:
For sland'rous accusations and abuse,
Cut deep - nay, deeper than a two-edg'd sword.

Bear not a tongue, that's bitter and perverse,
'Tis worse than shafts shot from a giant's bow,
Than poison from an adder's tongue 'tis worse,
Worse than the flames that in hell's dungeon glow.

If thou'dst be happy, mind this useful rule,
'Call not another by opprobious names:'
For he, that calls his fellow-creature, fool,
Deserves to feel Gehenna's fiercest flames.

Utter not thou, as much as thou dost hear,
And ne'er, as much as thou dost know, reveal,
But when thou'rt call'd to speak the truth, be clear:
Oft, 'till thou'rt call'd, 'tis best the truth conceal.

Be cautious ever, whom thou dost commend,
Be courteous, when thou wou'dst thy manners show,
Be mild, whene'er thou dost reprove thy friend,
Be lib'ral, when thou dost thine alms bestow.