2,656 Quotes About Silence

All I insist on, and nothing else, is that you should show the whole world that you are not afraid. Be silent, if you choose; but when it is necessary, speak—and speak in such a way that people will remember it.

Sunset on the water ought to be a quiet and easy time, but I guess some people can't stand a little silence.

Anyone who remains silent in the face of murder is an accomplice to murder. Anyone who does not condemn approves.

Not everyone who talks less or keeps quiet whenever they are with or around you does that because they find you interesting or knowledgeable; some people do that because they find you boring or ignorant.

Human beings have capitalized on the silence of animals, just as certain human beings have historically imposed silence on certain other human beings by denying slaves the right to literacy, denying women the right to own property, and denying both the right to vote.

Not only are animals unable to avail themselves of language to assert their own rights, but many fewer humans have a clear sense of kinship with animals than have a clear sense of kinship with other humans. Among beings with subjective states of awareness, animals are the untouchable caste, those whom human others would rather not acknowledge, let alone render assistance.

No era difícil imaginar el diálogo, pero si hubiese estado solo con Hélène ella no me hubiera dicho eso, probablemente no me hubiera dicho nada, atenta y ajena; una vez más la incluía sin derecho, imaginariamente, como un consuelo por tanta distancia y tanto silencio. Ya nada teníamos que decirnos Hélène y yo, que nos habíamos dicho tan poco.

The girl whose table I occupied was reading a book but I couldn’t help but notice that all this time, she was secretly watching me.“You are beautiful.”I took my eyes off my phone and I saw the girl talking to me. I was embarrassed and didn’t know what to say or how to react.

A thousand times today I've started to open my mouth, started to squeak out, "Can you tell me...? But then I'd look into the front seat, at my mother's silent shaking, my father's grim profile, the mournful bags under his eyes, and all the questions I might ask seemed abusive. Assault and battery, a question mark used like a club. My parents are old and fragile. I'd have to heartless to want to hurt them.