Question

5. Read the aphorism. A slip of the foot you may soon recover, but a slip of the tongue you may never get over.

What is the meaning of this aphorism from Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanack?
Gossip is not a bad activity so long as some good comes of it.
O Accidents are never as bad as we first believe them to be.
O Talking too much can result in a person losing their money.
Hurting someone's feelings can be worse than inflicting physical harm.

Answer 1

Answer: The meaning of this aphorism is that a slip of the foot, that is to say, attempting to succeed in some given enterprise and failing in doing so (or in other words, choosing to act but failing, for whatever reason) is not as bad as talking without thinking (a slip of the tongue),