“When words are many, transgression is not lacking, but whoever restrains his lips is prudent. The tongue of the righteous is choice silver; the heart of the wicked is of little worth.”
Have you ever been in a situation where whatever you said, seemingly no matter what it was, you made the situation worse? I'm going to go out on a limb and guess that the most frequently used statement immediately following "you're digging a whole" is "you should just stop talking".
In nearly all cases, that is sound advice.
Far too often we are tempted to convey OUR knowledge or opinion on a topic, regardless of its real value. However, the Proverb writer's searing remarks ought to remind us that silence is golden, or choice silver if you want to be Biblical.
This is because not only are your words more valuable when you say less, more importantly, your words are more informed when you speak less. Unfortunately, no one has mastered the art of speaking AND listening, much less retaining. Until then silence must be seen as golden if you desire your tongue to be like choice silver.
Let your light shine