The elder said to the brother: My son, silence is not emptiness but light. In silence nothing from outside is heard, yet what is within becomes clear. When a man grows quiet, his mind no longer wanders in many places, and then he feels what he is leaning on. If he leans on himself, silence weighs on him; if he leans on God, silence gives him rest. Silence is like clear water, if it is stirred, you cannot see the bottom; if it settles, you see everything. So it is with the heart—when it becomes still, it shows you the truth about yourself. Know this, my son, silence never lies to you; only noise can deceive you.
Then the elder added: When you can remain in silence without fear, you will know whom you rely on.
Apophthegm
A brother said to the elder: Father, if silence shows me the truth about myself, what should I do when the truth hurts me?
The elder answered: If it hurts you, it means you have not yet received it.
The brother was troubled and said within himself: How can I receive a truth that wounds me?
Pustia Inimii 