Nay, Speak No Ill
Author: Charles Swain
Composer: Anon.
Languages (25)
This song text has been indexed at SingPraises.net in the following languages:
- Armenian (West): ԳԷՇ ՄԻ ԽՕՍԻՐ
- Cantonese (Romanized/Pingyam): [Unknown title]
- Croatian: Glas zao nemoj širit
- Danish: Nej, tal ej ondt
- Dutch: Neen, spreekt geen kwaad
- English: Nay, Speak No Ill
- English Braille: ⠠⠝⠁⠽⠂ ⠠⠎⠏⠑⠁⠅ ⠠⠝⠕ ⠠⠊⠇⠇
- Fijian: Vosataka Na Vinaka
- Finnish: Ei hellät sanat milloinkaan
- French: Un mot d’amour, un mot gentil
- German: Nein, sprich nicht bös!
- Hawaiian: Mai Hoahewa Wale
- Japanese: 悪を言うな
- Japanese (Hiragana): 悪を言うな
- Japanese (Kanji): 悪を言うな
- Korean: 악한 말 금하세
- Mandarin (Romanized/Pinyin): [Unknown title]
- Mandarin (Traditional): [Unknown title]
- Maori: Me Korero te Kupu Pai
- Norwegian: Nei, tal ei ondt
- Portuguese: Não Faleis Mal
- Samoan: Ne‘i fai Se Upu Faatigā
- Spanish: No Censuremos
- Swedish: Tala ej ont
- Tongan: ʻOku Lelei ʻa e Lea Vaivai
- All Languages →
Statistics
Most common tunes for “Nay, Speak No Ill”
This chart shows the tunes that are paired with this text most frequently, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. If the text appears with the same tune in multiple editions or translations of the same hymnbook, it is only counted once.
Appearances of “Nay, Speak No Ill” over time
This timeline shows which tunes have been used with this text over time, in hymnbooks and other collections published by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Copyright status of original text
This text was first published in English, in 1851 or earlier.
Public domain
Earliest source indexed at SingPraises.net: Programme of the Latter Day Saints’ Soirée (1851), Jul 1851.
Representative lyrics
English (Original Language)
1. Nay, speak no ill; a kindly word Can never leave a sting behind; And, oh, to breathe each tale we’ve heard Is far beneath a noble mind. Full oft a better seed is sown By choosing thus the kinder plan, For, if but little good is known, Still let us speak the best we can.
2. Give me the heart that fain would hide, Would fain another’s faults efface. How can it please the human pride To prove humanity but base? No, let us reach a higher mood, A nobler estimate of man; Be earnest in the search for good, And speak of all the best we can.
3. Then speak no ill, but lenient be To others’ failings as your own. If you’re the first a fault to see, Be not the first to make it known, For life is but a passing day; No lip may tell how brief its span. Then, oh, the little time we stay, Let’s speak of all the best we can.
Compare
Compare different versions of the lyrics side-by-side: English