Konstantinos Kavafis | The word and the silence
If words have no meaning, silence is precious.
[arabian proverb]

Silence is golden and the word is silver.

What profane one pronounced such blasphemy?
What sluggish Asian blind and mute resigned to
blind mute destiny? What wretched madman,
a stranger to humanity, insulting virtue
called the soul a chimera and the word silver?
Our only god-benefitting gift, containing all -
enthusiasm, sorrow, joy, love;
our only human trait in our bestial nature!
You who call it silver do not have faith
in the future that will dissolve silence, mysterious word.
You do not luxuriate in wisdom, progress does not charm you;
with ignorance - golden silence - you are pleased.
You are ill. Unfeeling Silence is a grave disease;
while the warm sympathetic Word is health.
Silence is shadow and night, the Word is daylight.
The Word is truth, life, immortality.
Let us speak, let us speak - silence does not suit us
since we have been created in the image of the Word.
Let us speak, let us speak - since within us speaks
divine thought, the soul's embodied speech.