Whenever the word “idle talk” is used in speech, it means speech without meaning, without benefit for those who listen. Some call it “pouring water”, others “pouring from empty to empty” and other expressions. We can talk about idle talk for a long time. But the biblical context of this word is important for us. It is no secret that many words in Greek do not always have an exact translation in other languages. Let's read the places in the Bible where this word is used and understand why the word idle talk should be in the Bible dictionary.
Language is the greatest tool given to us by God
There was such a man: he received an academic degree, got a job at an institute, stole a microscope and started hammering nails with it at home. Isn't it strange? Of course, the story is fiction, but the fairy tale is a lie, and there is a hint in it.
A microscope is a complex, fragile and expensive product. We all understand how much work has been put into ensuring that this instrument can serve the sole purpose of revealing to us the invisible world of small objects.
Speech is an even more fragile instrument that does the opposite: it reveals our invisible inner world to others. Beautiful things can be done with the help of language:
- They create works of art - poems, novels, plays;
- Discuss philosophical issues;
- Confess love, friendship and other feelings;
- They sing wonderful songs.
Both love and creativity are aspects of the Creator. It is a way of projecting the Divine into the material world. Who would argue with the significance for humanity of cultural masterpieces and the once written Word of God?
Language is the core of humanity, the point of contact between us and each other. The allegorical story of the Tower of Babel shows well that people who are unable to explain themselves are not capable of anything.
All this says that language is not only valuable for us, but the more often and more we use it for its intended purpose, the more benefit we will bring to ourselves and humanity.
The Holy Scriptures are an example of the heights of thought that a word can reach, but a person is often pulled in the opposite direction, this is called idle talk.
Photo: cv2.litres.ru
Empty conversation is a sin because it wastes time on nonsense instead of useful things.
Having started an empty conversation, a person turns into a skidding vehicle. What good would it do if all the ambulances and fire trucks suddenly stood still and turned their wheels uselessly?
“But these are company cars,” a reasonable reader will object. “They have their own functions, and that has nothing to do with me.” But the point is precisely that a person is more than a machine and is capable of spending every second in service to this world, the Lord, or at least to himself.
Let's use examples. A man spent two hours of time on empty conversation, and the next day another two hours. And so on for a year. Over seven hundred hours of wasted time have accumulated. And how much useful could be done at this time!
- Create something important for humanity (write a novel, a picture);
- Master a new area of knowledge and bring benefit through it;
- Do good deeds for loved ones;
- Think more often about spiritual things in order to become purer and more righteous;
- Get your health in order so you can live 10 more years;
- Honor and become wiser in order to share this wisdom with others.
Is it worth continuing? By engaging in idle talk, we direct the resources given to us by the Lord into emptiness. That is why the name is idle talk.
Recently I caught myself thinking that we talk a lot, but of everything we say, only a very small amount is useful for us, in Akhirat and in this world.
I would like to quote the hadith of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which Imam Ahmad (r.a) conveyed in his collection Musnad:
“The Iman of any Muslim will not be correct until his heart is correct, and his heart will not be correct until his tongue is correct.”
That is, our tongue is the very first instrument that influences our heart. The more we talk, the more our heart fills with information. The more we say useful things, the more our hearts are loaded with useful information, the more empty words, the more this emptiness fills our hearts.
We can talk for hours about some football match or movie. Instead, let's talk for half an hour about the Greatness of Allah. It will be difficult for us, very difficult.
But if we don’t talk about the greatness of the Creator, then what right do we have to talk idle talk?!
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ always gave short sermons and answered questions clearly and clearly. This is the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.
One of the advantages of the Arabic language is that it itself is short. If we take the example of the Qur'an, which consists of 600 pages, its translation will not be 600 pages, but 750, because all other languages are not as capacious as Arabic. What is meant by one word in Arabic can be expressed in Russian by a phrase of 3-4 words.
Today, in our stories, we can post things about ourselves that we ourselves find it difficult to believe. And smart, and beautiful, and rich, and careful, and caring, and creative, and successful in business. In general, so many regalia for one sinful person. But we must remember that even the righteous caliphs, the Prophet ﷺ, after their death, called upon them to call themselves by name without regalia and pathos. Just Abu Bakr (r.a), Omar (r.a), Usman (r.a), Ali (r.a). But then the imperial culture came, when the Muslims conquered Iraq, Iran, Byzantium and began to add different prefixes and titles. For example: “His Majesty, His Excellency”, etc. We don’t need all these titles in the world, and in the Akhirat we won’t need them all the more, that is, they don’t bring us any benefit.
My tongue is my enemy
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“If a person takes control of two things, what is between the jaws and between the legs (shameful organs), then that person will fall into jannat.”
In the Qur'an Allah says:
“There is no benefit to most of what you talk about.”
Nowadays, we spend a lot of time every day on useless communication on social networks? such as WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, but if you collect all this time, you can learn one short surah from Kur'an. For example, if we discuss gossip and speculation, the behavior of publicly known scandalists, which we cannot change in any way, then there is nothing useful in this. Instead, we should talk about what is happening now and what we can really change. Everyone has their own opinion, all are high-level experts in all matters, everyone wants to write a comment and, of course, promote themselves. The Kazakhs have the following wisdom on this matter:
“Don’t know yourself and don’t listen to those who know (Ozin bilme zhane bilgennin tilin alma).”
You need to live in the real world, you shouldn’t create virtuality. Islam encourages us to be real, to show ourselves as we really are.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Most of a person’s mistakes come from talking a lot.”
The takeaway from this hadith is that the more we speak, the more likely we are to make mistakes. For example, five words - two errors, ten words - five errors. If you talk too much, the questioner will have a lot of questions. Even A.P. Chekhov wrote that brevity is the sister of talent.
Let us take this hadith into account and spend time on dhikr instead of idle talk. A person must learn to remain silent, then there will be no time left for empty chatter.
Listening is an art. That is, a person remains silent, listens and collects information that is useful for dunya or akhirat. Silence educates our nafs. Scientists say: if you know and say, it’s good, and if you remain silent, then that’s also good. Therefore, the righteous predecessors and the light of our ummah tried not to be verbose, instead they spent time on useful things. For example, for teaching and writing books.
If we look at the works of some of them in terms of the volume of letters written and the time spent on it, you begin to think when did they even have time to eat, drink, sleep and do other worldly affairs? But they not only wrote their works, but also managed to do dhikr, taking advantage of even a small opportunity. Some scholars praised Allah while sharpening their pens. This shows us that they spent every moment wisely.
If we learn not to waste time, but to carefully manage it for self-development, for our families, for the benefit of the ummah, for our Akhirat, then we will be real Muslims. This is the sunnah of our Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. After all, he said:
“Abandoning useless things is a sign of a person’s piety.”
Today, when the whole world is facing the problem of coronavirus, many of us, sitting at home, waste time on useless things. I encourage everyone to develop, read, sign up for useful webinars, online lessons and cherish every second.
muslim.kz
Idle talk is the gateway to all other sins
Perhaps it wouldn’t be so scary if idle talk reduced human activity to zero, like laziness. Well, a person lives for himself, wastes time on nothing, who does he harm with this?
But the problem is that idle talk is wasted time and lost opportunities. And then the regret begins. It is followed by envy of those who have already achieved something. And this is a more terrible sin, which opens the way to all other human vices. Out of envy, people steal, kill, cheat and do many other things.
And the root of evil is that a person prefers something empty to action.
Quotes About Talkativeness
A chatterbox wants to force himself to be loved and causes hatred, he wants to provide a service and becomes intrusive, he wants to cause surprise and becomes funny, he insults his friends, serves his enemies.
Plutarch
267 Link to quote 7 minutes to comprehend
Talkativeness conceals a lie, and lies, as we know, are the mother of all vices.
M. Saltykov-Shchedrin
226 Link to quote 3 minutes to comprehend
Chatterboxes are the most reserved people: they talk a lot in order to say nothing.
S. Udeto
196 Link to quote 3 minutes to comprehend
A man engages in chatting if he has been drinking or is tired of being alone. The woman grinds her tongue just for practice.
Max Brandt
194 Link to quote 3 minutes to comprehend
He would have something to say if he didn't talk so much.
Wieslaw Brudzinski
183 Link to quote 3 minutes to comprehend
Ridiculousness means a form of idle talk
When encountering the term “ridiculousness,” a person will most likely think that this means a sense of humor, the need to joke and laugh. Of course, he doesn’t understand why this would be considered a sin. We can only agree with grief that if an idle word comes from the mouth, it is not very useful. But how can you live without a smile?
But don't rush to conclusions. The Apostle Paul uses the word ευτραπελια, which in the Synodal translation was replaced by “ridiculousness.” It would be more correct to use another term - buffoonery. This is a condition when:
2 sin
includes buffoonery: lies and pride
- Pride . The person is deliberately trying to look stupider than he is, and he does it in such a way that others understand the pretense of the situation and praise the joker’s talent. The leading motive here is pride. A person’s gut literally screams: “Well, praise me, look how special I am.” But a good joke should have a different motive: “I want to cheer you up.”
- Lie . The joker is not sincere with the public. He really doesn't care what anyone thinks. The main thing is to enjoy yourself. If the joke was appreciated, he was great. If they don’t appreciate it, the audience is bad.
But Orthodox Christians love to laugh. Take, for example, Archimandrite Alypiy (Voronov), who broadcast the announcement “There is a plague in the monastery” on the gate when he wanted to discourage the communist authorities from frequenting him.
Biblical meaning.
In the following verses, the word “idle talk” is a different word, but with the same meaning
vanity, idle talk, empty and useless talk.
It is very important to see that Paul is not talking about ordinary words that we use at work, when we joke with children or sing a song about sunshine and clouds. In these verses there is a very clear emphasis on false teachers who in the Church, in the House of God, speak empty words that DO NOT serve for edification, do not bring the grace of God to those who listen.
Idle talk is a broad term that includes idle talk, gossip, slander and slander.
Idle talk is a general name for sinful use of speech. In addition to what has already been listed, this list includes:
Backbiting is when a person plunges the mind into the mud in order to condemn another person and thereby rise above him.
The slanderer is likened to the devil; this is unacceptable for a Christian.
Slander - in other words, a real lie. Who is the king of lies? Of course, the devil. And this devil is not some demon with a trident, but the state of the soul of a deceitful person. It is not appropriate for a Christian to stoop to such a level.
Gossip - for the sake of it, a person is capable, like a sick stomach, of endlessly digesting the same food, in which there is nothing useful left. In addition, gossip is an easy way to harm the person being discussed.
The meaning of the word idle talk
Examples of the use of the word idle talk in literature.
And it is necessary that every square be resounding with their speeches, so that at every feast they become bored with idle talk and tastelessness, so that every holiday becomes unfestive and full of despondency, and with every lament they seek consolation in a greater evil - in the proposal of questions, so that in every woman's mansion - In this refuge of innocence, peace was disturbed and the color of modesty was stolen by haste in words!
Why did Azef need a meeting with Burtsev, all this Jewish idle talk about the trial?
It’s just idle talk, like a childish saying, and besides, the point is that the dike was born here, in our plant, and there’s no way to give away a trace of it to strangers.
But if this is true, then why, the best one, as if having convicted our teaching of some kind of poverty, have you abandoned all other paths, but strive and hasten on this one path, on the path, as it seems to you, of reason and speculation, but like me I will say - idle talk and daydreaming?
He has aged significantly, faded and faded, but he cheats, lies and rants even more than before, because now he almost always has at hand his good friend Mama, who, for the sake of the old woman’s sweet piece, has become an obligatory listener to his idle talk.
They strive to imitate and fall into darkness, idle talk, nonsense, nonsense.
There I learned to an artistic degree to imitate German pastors, their declamation and idle talk, a talent that I retained until adulthood.
For, uttering inflated idle talk, they ensnare those who are barely behind those in error into carnal lusts and debauchery.
The purpose of exhortation is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and unfeigned faith, 6 having departed from which, some have deviated into idle talk, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, but not understanding either what they are talking about or what they are affirming.
And then lengthy arguments poured out, truly idle talk - there’s no way to put it more accurately!
They pass the cup to one another - there is no idle talk and no encouragement to sin.
How and why, during the Brezhnev era, the country so easily departed from its ideals, and what remained from the revolution were magnificent parades and holidays with red banners, solemn and ceremonial, frankly boring congresses with tedious idle talk like a mediocre performance, in which, however, hundreds of thousands obediently participated?
He saw his political work primarily in personal example in battle, and not in idle talk outside a combat situation.
And when I look back at those five years that I spent in his house, and remember the hypocrisy, meanness, baseness, pretense, idle talk of this man and his manner of covering up the most ugly things with the guise of holiness, when I remember how many times I had to see all this and how to take part in all this, if only by virtue of the fact that I lived with him and he was my teacher - I give you my word, I begin to despise myself.
Source: Maxim Moshkov library
The Holy Fathers have many quotes about how idle talk harms a person
Sin is a tricky thing. This is a poison that immediately affects both the spiritual and material life of a person. Sins such as gluttony act harshly. Others use more elegant approaches.
But, fortunately, we have quotes from the holy fathers, whose wisdom helps us see through many situations. For example, Saint Tikhon of Zadonsk urged people to pay attention to the fact that it is strange to speak the name of God and bad words with the same mouth:
“Christians must remember that they are calling, singing and praising the holy and terrible name of God. How can this great and holy name be called upon by a tongue that is desecrated with obscenity, foul language, idle talk, blasphemy, curses, blasphemy, slander and other stench?
And then they need to remember that they are partaking of the Most Pure Body and Blood of Christ: how will they receive this shrine into their mouths - into mouths that are desecrated with rotten and stinking words? Hear this, unbridled tongue, so that you can call upon the name of God without condemnation and partake of the Holy Mysteries.”
Tikhon Zadonsky
Saint
Such things cloud the mind. And this is very dangerous for humans, because such a delicate organ is difficult to control. Idle talk often penetrates very deeply into the mental sphere and becomes a habit.
And then we no longer think about love, righteousness and the Lord. So what to do? Even a good thought does not take root on such soil. The Monk Pimen the Great spoke about this:
“Some people seem silent, but their heart condemns others. His labors are in vain. The other speaks from morning to evening and remains silent together, because he says only one thing that is useful for the soul.”
The Monk Tikhon of Zadonsk wrote that idle talk leads a person into sin.
Thus, behind the external manifestation - idle talk, lies an even deeper problem - a sinful type of thinking. He inclines us to sin. Let us turn again to the words of St. Tikhon of Zadonsk:
“A person sins nothing more than with his tongue when he does not control it as he should. The tongue curses people created in the likeness of God. The tongue slanderes father and mother. The tongue teaches murder, advises and conspires about adultery, uncleanness, theft, embezzlement, and all untruths.
The tongue lies, flatters, deceives, idle talk, vain talk, blaspheme, foul language; the tongue will justify the guilty in court and accuse the right... The tongue also torments holy men, who with their kindness do not harm anyone; the tongue insulted our Lord Himself, the Savior of the world, who “committed no sin, and no lie was found in His mouth” (Isa. 53:9), the tongue spews blasphemy against the great, holy and terrible name of God. In a word, the tongue leaves nothing, but spews out the poison that lies in the human heart.”
Tikhon Zadonsky
Saint
Stupid talk is not polite
This is another place where the Russian word "idle talk" is used. But in the original Greek it does not sound like that. Or rather, there is no word “idle talk”. But the connotation is quite clear.
...also shamefulness, obscenity and stupid speech , nonsense, buffoonery, cheerful chatter, ridicule, which are indecent, inappropriate. But incomparably better is thanksgiving.
This is exactly what we talked about at the very beginning. Words that have no biblical meaning, but also do not bring any benefit AT ALL. In a word, nonsense. Sometimes some people find it wonderful to be considered the life of the party. However, for a believer, such behavior is INDEMNIFIC. He will not lose his salvation because of stupid talk, but he is unlikely to be used by God. One must be honored as a vessel. And what is important is the path to sin, not to holiness. These are not spiritual thoughts. The Word says that if you talk too much, you cannot avoid sin.
And we believe that it is important to see the way out that the Holy Spirit offers us. If you notice signs of idle talk in yourself, start thanking God. Always and for everything. You will not be able to bridle your tongue, but all things are possible with God. And He tells you what to do.
You can get rid of idle talk if you pray and make an effort
If the question of how to get rid of idle talk has arisen in a person’s soul, the first step has been taken. And without him, the rest would be useless.
It will be necessary to attack the problem from two sides: intellectual and spiritual.
The first is working on yourself, the second is God’s help.
Work on yourself . You will have to be mindful, watch your thoughts and words. If you catch yourself doing something bad, you need to use some kind of punishment. But it shouldn't be thoughtless. For example:
- 500 rub. to the account of an environmental or charitable foundation;
- A free service to any of your friends or even strangers.
If your financial situation does not allow it, and natural modesty prevents you from communicating with people, then you can go to church for every offense and ask for some task there. There is always something to do in the parish, but no one to do it. This will be both material and spiritual benefit.
If you find work you like, then there will be no time left for idle talk.
It’s worth making some reminders for yourself: strings, a background on your mobile phone, an object on the table. Let it remind you that from now on you live in a new way and idle talk is left behind for you.
In general, those who say that those who have nothing to do have time for sins and empty chatter are right. Find something fun and rewarding to do. There will be no time left for sin.
God's help . Rev. Tikhon of Zadonsk talks about the role of God’s help:
“If the tongue, not controlled by reason, is guilty of so many sins and troubles, we must try to curb it. But effort without God’s help can do little; “the tongue... is an uncontrollable evil” (James 3:8), says the apostle.
And although it has two fences - teeth and lips, it breaks through. For the human heart, like an overflowing vessel, pours out everything that cannot be contained, and “out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks,” according to the word of the Lord (Luke b. 45).
Therefore, we need to humbly pray to Almighty God together with the Psalmist: “Put a guard, O Lord, on my lips, and guard the doors of my mouth” (Ps. 140:3), so that both the heart and the tongue, the instrument of the heart, may be corrected, and taught in due time and how should be said, but what should not be said, one should not even think about it in one’s heart.”
Tikhon Zadonsky
Saint
Among the effective remedies against idle talk, it is worth remembering the prayer of Ephraim the Syrian:
“Lord and Master of my life, do not give me the spirit of idleness, despondency, covetousness and idle talk. Grant the spirit of chastity, humility, patience and love to Thy servant. To her, Lord, King, grant me to see my sins and not condemn my brother, for blessed are you forever and ever. Amen".
The prayer of Ephraim the Syrian is not the only spiritual remedy. We can turn to any saints, to God, to angels if we want to cope with idle talk. Everyone will help us along this path, if we have a sincere desire.
But earthly help should not be neglected either. If you have a loved one next to you who agrees to point out to you those cases when you crossed the line of idle talk, that will be great.
In this case, it is better to establish mutual control, turn it into a kind of game. Otherwise, there is a risk of ruining the relationship.
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idle talk quotes, aphorisms, statuses, phrases from around the world
An extensive collection of quotes, aphorisms, and statements from many sources on the topic of idle talk from a variety of authors. Are you looking for a beautiful aphorism for your text? Want to use a clever quote in an important conversation? Or do you just want to put a beautiful status on VKontakte or Instagram? Then use our list of quotes about idle talk compiled on this page.
Good evening, idle talker, I don’t understand how we lived here without you. And it’s unlikely that anyone will understand. Tags: Rickey F // // Moscow doesn’t believe // idle talk //
That an artist who paints water on the walls and cannot quench his thirst with that water... the same is a word unjustified by activity. Tags: Isaac the Syrian (Syrian) // meaningful quotes // idle talk //
It doesn't matter what you wear, it matters what you carry. Tags: RBL (RBL (Russian Battle League)) // Anatoly Deepov (Deep-eX-Sense) // idle talk // appearance //
If you repeat the same word many times, all that remains is a sound that has lost its meaning. Tags: Charles Martin // Mountains Between Us // Ben Payne // words // idle talk //
A sea of words cannot replace even a drop of action. Tags: Vladimir Eduardovich Kazaryan // affairs // idle talk // wisdom //
An empty person's attempt to fill the void with content is a waste of time on yet another empty chatter. Tags: Peter Kwiatkovsky // idle talk // man, people // time //
History knows women who do things, but now that’s it, women have stopped doing things, but at the same time they probably have even more ambition than those girls. And why? But because those women were busy with business, not ambition. Tags: Project KOZA // Valery Korneev (Lee Kay) // women // idle talk // feminism //
Emptiness and emptiness talk about empty things. Tags: Piotr Kwiatkowski // ironic quotes // emptiness // idle talk //
The weeds of idle talk grow in the wastelands of intellectual impotence. Tags: Prince Alexander // life quotes // idle talk // demagoguery //
- The President speaks. — Hello, Mr. President, how are you? How is the country governed? “Everything is fine, I’m returning the country to its greatness little by little.” — Did you expel all the emigrants, as promised? — I have exhibited, but so far only about six people. This turned out to be more difficult than it seems. — What about the wall? Have you built it? - Your mother! Are you calling to ruin my holiday? Tags: South Park // funny quotes // president // promises // idle talk //
Avoid empty speeches, for they only lead to repentance and regret. Tags: Ibn al-Muqaffa Abdallah // Kalila and Dimna // quotes with meaning // idle talk //
Let the holiday last, I am with her as if in a dream; And I don’t want to imagine that feelings will fade away, or that we don’t exist. And even in this attack of happiness - now I am stupid and blind! I laugh in the face of those who scream in vain, That only death will separate them. This fable is great for us, but we know it will end. But the ulcer, asthma, alas, is not there, as is the fear of loneliness. Let's quiet down the noise that drowns out everyday life. And finally we will meet for real in this second! Tags: Caste // Better than now // beautiful quotes // love // idle talk //
Be eloquent, but not idle talk, for idle talk is the same as madness. Tags: Kay-Kavus (Unsur Al-Maali) // meaningful quotes // eloquence // idle talk //
There would be speeches by the time the lifeless corpse was revived. Tags: Aeschylus // Oresteia // meaningful quotes // idle talk // slowness //
Threats, promises, good intentions are not yet actions. Tags: Alice: Madness Returns // threats // promises // idle talk //
Unfounded accusations ruin people's lives. Tags: Good Doctor // Neil Melendez // accusations // destruction // idle talk //
The militant girls have not yet become truly wise and truly women. At the same time, these girls can be 20, 30, or 40 years old. They want to be free from cleaning, cooking and washing, but free for what? Tell me why? So far, I see only laziness in learning how to cook, covered up by breaking the system. Tags: Project KOZA // Valery Korneev (Lee Kay) // women // feminism // idle talk //
Poets, repent before it’s too late, in all verbal rhymes. Tags: Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky // idle talk //
What kind of liar and idiot said that “they don’t feed the nightingale with fables”? In society, as we know, fables are considered a kind of universal sauce, and there is no piece that they would not help you swallow. Just as the immortal Alexis Soyer will cook you a wonderful soup for half a buck, which no other ignorant cook could cook from many pounds of vegetables and beef, so a skillful artist can, with the help of a few simple and pleasant phrases, achieve much greater success than some dirty guy, if he had a whole stock of goods, much more significant. Moreover, we know that substantial benefits often weigh down the stomach, while most people are able to digest any number of beautiful words and always take on a new portion of this dish with delight. Tags: William Thackeray // Vanity Fair // on behalf of the author // idle talk // compliments //
Evil is not what comes into a person's mouth, but what comes out of it. Tags: Paulo Coelho // Alchemist // life quotes // words // idle talk //
SSSD. A strongman in words. A weakling indeed. Tags: Dangal // Geeta Phogat // idle talk // chatter //
Masturbation has a hand, verbiage has a tongue - why not kindred spirits. Tags: Piotr Kwiatkowski // ironic quotes // masturbation // idle talk // language //
All slugs believe that tomorrow, one day, someday, they are wow. One day it’s easy to give away your last shirt, one day will never come. Tags: Franz Wertfollen // Scenes of family life // promises // expectations // idle talk //
