Kind words do not cost much. They never blister the tongue or lips. They make other people good-natured. They also produce their own image on men's souls, and a beautiful image it is.

The saying argues for the moral and social power of everyday speech. “Kind words” are presented as a low-cost act—requiring no money and causing no physical harm—yet they have disproportionate effects: they soften tempers (“make other people good-natured”) and shape inner character (“produce their own image on men’s souls”). The final image suggests that benevolent language leaves a lasting imprint, almost like a seal impressed on wax, implying that repeated kindness forms habits of mind in both speaker and hearer. The quote thus treats civility not as superficial politeness but as a formative ethical practice with psychological and communal consequences.