Speech like Dung
A short teaching on three kinds of people found in the world, named by what their speech is like. One with speech like dung is someone who, when called as a witness before a council, assembly, family, guild, or court, lies deliberately for their own sake, another’s sake, or some trivial reason. One with speech like flowers is someone in the same situation who tells the truth about what they know and see. One with speech like honey has given up harsh speech and speaks in a way that is mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, polite, and agreeable to people.
A note on this text. The title’s simile is blunt; the body of the text only describes lying, truthful, and gentle speech.
The full text
Numbered Discourses 3.28 · 3. Individuals · Speech like Dung · translated by Bhikkhu Sujato · public domain (CC0) · about 1 min · on SuttaCentral
“These three individuals are found in the world. What three? One with speech like dung, one with speech like flowers, and one with speech like honey. And who has speech like dung? It’s an individual who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ So they deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason. This is called an individual with speech like dung.
And who has speech like flowers? It’s an individual who is summoned to a council, an assembly, a family meeting, a guild, or to the royal court, and asked to bear witness: ‘Please, my man, say what you know.’ Not knowing, they say ‘I don’t know.’ Knowing, they say ‘I know.’ Not seeing, they say ‘I don’t see.’ And seeing, they say ‘I see.’ So they don’t deliberately lie for the sake of themselves or another, or for some trivial worldly reason. This is called an individual with speech like flowers.
And who has speech like honey? It’s an individual who gives up harsh speech. They speak in a way that’s mellow, pleasing to the ear, endearing, going to the heart, polite, and likable and agreeable to the people. This is called an individual with speech like honey. These are the three individuals found in the world.”