Emblem I.42: No Heart can thinke, to what strange ends

No Heart can thinke, to what strange ends,
The Tongues unruely Motion tends.

WEll-worthy of our better Heeding were,
That Holy Pen-mans Lesson, who hath sayd,
We should be slow to Speake, and swift to Heare;
If, well, the nature of the Tongue we waigh'd.
For, if we let it loose, it getteth Wings,
And, flies with wanton Carelesnesse, about;
It prateth in all places, of All things;
Tells Truth and Lyes, and babbleth Secrets out.
To speake, of things unknowne, it taketh leave,
As if it had all Knowledge in Possession;
And, Mysteries (which no Man can conceive)
Are thought fit Objects for the Tongues Expression.
With Truth it mixeth Errors; sayes, unsayes;
And, is the Preacher of all Heresies.
That Heart, which gives it motion, it betrayes;
And, utters Curses, Oathes, and Blasphemies.
It spreads all Slanders, which base Envie raiseth;
It moveth Anger, and begetteth Hates:
It blameth Vertue; filthy Deeds it praiseth;
And, causeth Vproares, Murthers, and Debates.
Yea, tis the chiefest Factor for the Devill;
And, yet, with speeches feignedly-sincere,
It otherwhile reproveth what is Evill,
And, will in Lowly-words, a Saint appeare.
Now this is knowne; we, next of all, should learne,
How we may shunne the Mischiefe being knowne;
How, we bad Tongues, in Others, may discerne;
And, how to guide and moderate our Owne.
And, reason good; for, none can apprehend,
What Mischiefe doth an Evill Tongue attend.