Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever.

What it means

Complaining under your breath changes nothing. Say the hard thing once, plainly, to the person who needs to hear it. Then move on.

The source

"Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever." This Scottish proverb is recorded in Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland (3rd ed.), p. 62. Translated by Original Scots (Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland, 1862).

"Better speak bauldly out than aye be grumphin'."

Original Scots (Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland, 1862), Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland (3rd ed.), p. 62. Text read at archive.org.

Who said it

Proverbs of the world (Every age). Sayings from the Latin, Greek, Norse, Japanese, Chinese and more, each traced to an old source in its own language.

Questions

What does "Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever." mean?

Complaining under your breath changes nothing. Say the hard thing once, plainly, to the person who needs to hear it. Then move on.

Who said "Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever."?

Scottish proverb. Source: Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland (3rd ed.), p. 62.

What is the original wording?

Better speak bauldly out than aye be grumphin' (Original Scots (Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland, 1862)). Translated by Original Scots (Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland, 1862).

Is "Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever." on a shirt?

Yes. We print it to order on our tees in 7 illustrated looks, from $44, with free US shipping.

"Better to speak out boldly than grumble forever." (Scottish proverb, Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland (3rd ed.), p. 62, trans. Original Scots (Hislop, The Proverbs of Scotland, 1862)). https://spartansurfers.com/quotes/better-to-speak-out-boldly-than-grumble-forever