proverb · Words worth keeping
Who has not a good tongue, ought to have good hands.
Who has not a good tongue, ought to have good hands.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Practical contribution can matter when a person is not an effective speaker. The saying contrasts words with hands without making eloquence the measure of competence.
What the words are saying
Good hands are offered as another way to contribute where fluent speech is absent. It can encourage recognition of useful action that receives less attention than confident talk. It should not demand extra labour from someone because they communicate differently or imply that they have less to say. A useful reading asks what the task needs and how different contributions can be heard and valued fairly.
Everyday example
A group recognises a quiet member’s careful practical work and also makes room for their views in a form that suits them.
When to use it
Use it to value contribution beyond confident speech.
What it does not mean
Communication differences do not create a duty to compensate with extra work.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1640 · Tongue
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English