Care And Speech

Ne temere quid loquaris, neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem coram Deo. Deus enim in cælo, et tu super terram; idcirco sint pauci sermones tui. Multas curas sequuntur somnia, et in multis sermonibus invenietur stultitia. Prohibet igitur praecipitationem; unde dicit: Ne temere quid loquaris, id est inconsiderate; Ecclesiastici nono: Temerarius in verbo suo odibilis erit; et rursus Ecclesiastici vigesimo octavo: Verbis tuis facito stateram et frenos ori tuo. Et quia non potest homo velox deliberare, ideo subdit: Neque cor tuum sit velox ad proferendum sermonem, immo diu deliberare oportet; unde Proverbiorum vigesimo nono: Vidisti hominem velocem ad loquendum? stultitia speranda est magis quam illius correptio. Unde distantia debet esse inter os et cor; quo contra Ecclesiastici vigesimo primo: In ore fatuorum cor illorum. Unde dicitur lacobi primo: Sit omnis homo velox ad audiendum et tardus ad loquendum; et Seneca: Tardiloquum te esse volo. Et subditur ratio divinum iudicium, quod omnia videt; ideo dicit: Deus enim in caelo, supple: omnia videns; unde in Psalmo: Dominus de caelo in terram aspexit; et tu super terram, in manifesto sibi positus, ita non lates eum; Ecclesiastici vigesimo tertio: Oculi Domini multo plus lucidiores sunt super solem, circumspicientes in omnes vias hominum. Idcirco sint pauci sermones tui, quia scilicet loqueris coram Deo, quia ipse exiget rationem de omnibus; Matthaei duodecimo: De omni verbo otioso, quod locuti fuerint homines, reddent rationem de eo in die iudicii. Et vix potest esse quod qui multa loquitur Deo non displiceat. Unde hoc manifestat exemplo et simili dicens: Multas curas sequuntur somnia, et ideo stultum est eis attendere; Ecclesiastici trigesimo quarto: Multos errare fecerunt somnia. Et in multis sermonibus invenitur stultitia; Ecclesiastici vigesimo: Qui multis utitur verbis laedit animam suam; et Proverbiorum decimo: In multiloquio non deerit peccatum; sed econtra infra decimo: Stultus verba multiplicat. Sanctus Bonaventura, Commentarius In Ecclesiasten, Cap V Source: Here, p 43

Do not be rash with your speech, and let not your heart be quick to offer a word before God. For God is in heaven, and you are on the earth, therefore let your words be few. Dreams follow many cares, and foolishness is found in many words. 1 Thus he forbids hastiness in speech, whence he says: 'Do not be rash with your speech,' that is, lacking consideration. In the ninth chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'The man more reckless in his speech shall be hated.' And again in twenty eighth chapter: 'Make a balance for your words, a bridle for your mouth.' 2 And because no man can deliberate quickly, therefore here he adds: 'Let not your heart be quick to offer a word,' since one should deliberate for a time. Whence in the twenty ninth chapter of Proverbs: 'You see a man quick to speak? There is more hope in foolishness than for his correction.' 3 Whence there should be distance between the mouth and the heart, for which the twenty first chapter of Ecclesiasticus gives an opposing example: 'The fool's heart is in his mouth.' And in the first chapter of James: 'Let a man be quick to hear and slow to speak.' 4 And Seneca says: 'I wish you to be slow of speech.' 5 And he goes on to add the reason for the Divine judgement, because it sees everything, and therefore he says here, 'For God is in heaven,' that is, seeing everything, whence in the Psalm: 'From heaven the Lord looks on the earth.' 6 'And you are on the earth,' manifestly placed for Him, thus you cannot hide from Him. In the twenty third chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'The eyes of the Lord are much brighter than the sun, looking on all the ways of men.' 7 'Therefore let your words be few,' because evidently you speak in the presence of God, and He will demand a reason for everything. In the twelfth chapter of Matthew: 'For every idle word that men have spoken, a reason will be required for it on the day of judgement.' 8 It is scarcely possible that he who speaks much shall not displease God. Whence he shows this here with an example and a similitude: 'Dreams follow many cares,' and therefore it is foolish to attend to them. In the thirty fourth chapter of Ecclesiasticus: 'Dreams have led many into error, and in many words is found foolishness.' In the twentith chapter: 'He who uses many words wounds his own soul.' And in the tenth chapter of Proverbs: 'Excessive speech shall not lack sin.' And opposing it in the tenth chapter here below: 'The fool multiplies his words.' 9 Saint Bonaventura, Commentary on Ecclesiastes, Chapter 5 1 Eccl 5.1-2 2 Sirach 9.18, 28.25 3 Prov 29.20 4 Sirach 21.29, James 1.19 5 Seneca Epis 40.14 as 'Tardiloquum te esse iubeo,' I bid you to be slow of speech 6 Ps 101.20 7 Sirach 23.28 8 Mt 12.36 9 Sirach 34.7, Sirach 20.8, Prov 10.19, Eccl 10.14