Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.

Often attributed to Plato, this aphorism contrasts speech grounded in substance with speech driven by compulsion or vanity. It implies that wisdom includes restraint: the wise treat words as instruments for conveying insight, while the foolish treat talk as a performance or a way to fill silence. The saying also gestures toward a classical ideal of measured discourse—where speaking should serve truth, instruction, or the common good—rather than ego or social pressure. As a maxim, it functions as both ethical counsel (practice thoughtful silence) and a critique of empty rhetoric (value content over verbosity).

“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”
“Wise men speak because they have something to say; fools because they must say something.”
“Wise men speak when they have something to say; fools because they have to say something.”