Three sieves

One man came to Socrates and asked:
- You know what your friend told me about you?
- Wait - Socrates stopped him. - Ask first what you are going to say through three sieves.
- Three sieves?
- Before you say anything, you need to sift it three times. First, through a truth sieve. Are you sure that what you say is true?
- Not. I just heard ...
- Very good. So you don't know if this is true or not. Then sift through the second sieve - a sieve of kindness. Do you want to say something good about my friend?
- Not! Opposite!

- So - continued Socrates - you are going to say something bad about him, but you are not even sure that this is true. Let's try the third sieve, a sieve of benefit. Do I really need to hear what you want to tell?
- No, this is not necessary.
- So - Socrates concluded - in what you mean, there is no kindness, no good, no need. Why then say it?

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