“The empty vessel makes the loudest sound.”

— William Shakespeare , Henry V

The quote "The empty vessel makes the loudest sound." is famous quote by William Shakespeare (1564–1616), English playwright and poet.

Source: Henry V, No Fear, Act 4 Scene 4

Last update Sept. 28, 2023. History

Help us to complete the source, original and additional information

William Shakespeare 699

English playwright and poet 1564–1616

Related quotes

“As empty vessels make the loudest sounds, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”

Plato (-427–-347 BC) Classical Greek philosopher

Often attributed to Plato, it cannot be found in any of his writings. http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=796
Misattributed

“Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they would like to say something. As empty vessels make the loudest sounds, so they that have the least wit are the greatest babblers.”

Plato (-427–-347 BC) Classical Greek philosopher

Often attributed to Plato, it cannot be found in any of his writings ( see this http://languagelog.ldc.upenn.edu/nll/?p=796). The quote is attributed to Plato in A Dictionary of Thoughts: Being a Cyclopedia of Laconic Quotations from the Best Authors of the World, Both Ancient and Modern (page 560) by Tryon Edwards.
Misattributed

“639. Emptie vessels sound most.”

George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh-born English poet, orator and Anglican priest

Jacula Prudentum (1651)

“This is a writer’s lesson:
To learn that the sounds that we imagine can be the clearest, loudest sounds of all.”

John Irving book Trying to Save Piggy Sneed

Source: Trying to Save Piggy Sneed

“The Lord bestows his blessings there, where he finds the vessels empty.”

Thomas à Kempis book The Imitation of Christ

Source: The Imitation of Christ

“Empty heads make the best drums. And the emptier the head, the fuller the sound.”

Karlheinz Deschner (1924–2014) German writer and activist

Auf hohlen Köpfen ist gut trommeln. Und je hohler ein Kopf, desto voller das Echo.
Acceptance speech on receiving the Alternative Büchner Prize, 1993. MIZ - Materialien und Informationen zur Zeit. ISSN 0170-6748, Heft 3, 1993, ibka.org http://www.ibka.org/artikel/miz93/preis.html