The Book of the Fives

Chapter XX: The Brāman

[178]

Thus have I heard:

Once the Exalted One dwelt near Sāvatthī;
and there he addressed the monks, saying:

"Monks."

'Yes, lord,' they replied; and the Exalted One said:

"Monks, if a word have five marks,
it is well spoken,
not ill spoken,
nor is it blameworthy
nor blameable by the wise.

It is spoken in season,²
it is spoken in truth,
it is spoken softly,³
it is spoken about the goal,
it is spoken in amity.

Verily, monks, if a word have these five marks,
it is well spoken,
not ill spoken,
nor is it blameworthy
nor blameable by the wise/

¹ Cf. above, § 107, also Sn. p. 78; S. i, 188.

² Cf. Proverbs xv, 23: 'A word spoken in due season, how good it is!'

³ Job xli, 3; Proverbs xv, 1.