When someone brings news, one should not believe it at once. Nor is it wise to voice quickly every suspicion…

When someone brings news, one should not believe it at once. Nor is it wise to voice quickly every suspicion that comes to the heart. The spirit of a person who speaks of trivial things is broken. Even when the news one wished for and expected arrives, one should pause. What if it is not true? Of course, one must check the source of the news. One must know the reported event down to the smallest details so that the truth comes to light. That is, of course, if a person truly needs that truth. For humanity has no need of very many truths in the world. For example, there is no benefit for a person in knowing such things as a friend's backbiting, a neighbor's income, someone's sin... Even knowing that someone has made a mistake is harmful, because if the wrongdoer repents, his mistake is covered as if it had never been committed; what benefit, then, remains in knowing it? There is no good in looking at some event and foretelling what will come after it. So long as there is no benefit in saying it. If the heart senses some important event, if signs and indications foretell its occurrence, and if its occurrence will change something in people's lives, then it is appropriate to speak of it in the sense of a conjecture, in order to prepare for that event. If anything kills a person, it is needless words. “It is enough of a lie for a person to relate everything he hears.” “If you speak, say what is good; otherwise, keep silent.” “Whoever keeps silent is safe.” “If a wicked person brings you news, verify it.”