Speech reveals the inner character

There is a beautiful Shloka found in ancient Sanskrit texts. 

        Kaakah Krishna, Pikah Krishna - Ko Bhedah Pik Kaakayoh

        Vasant Kaalay Sampraaptay - Kaakah kaakah Pikah Pikah

Kaak          =  crow

Krishna     = Black

Pik             =  Koyal - Cuckoo

Ko Bhedah   = Hardly any difference 

Vasant Kaalay Sampraaptay = Arrival of Spring season 

Meaning:

The crow is black, and the cuckoo is also black.

Sometimes it becomes difficult to distinguish between them. 

But with the arrival of the spring season, when the cuckoo sings sweet songs and the crow caws in a harsh tone, the reality of both is revealed immediately.

                             ~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Rahim, a 16th-century poet (1556- 1627), said the same in Hindi. 

        'Rahiman' dono ek say hain jab tak bolat naahin

         Jaan padat hain Kaak Pik Vasant ritu kay maanhi 

                       "Abdul Raheem Khan-e-khana" 

"As long as the crow and the cuckoo do not sing, they appear identical. 

Only when they open their mouths, one distinguishes the sweet cuckoo from the harsh crow."

Both - the timeless Sanskrit shloka above and the couplet by Rahim highlight the importance of speech and expression in revealing a person’s true character.

Appearances can be misleading and deceiving, just like the crow and the cuckoo look quite similar at first glance.  

The real difference lies in how they express themselves. 

The cuckoo’s melodious song sets it apart in the pleasant season of spring, whereas the crow's harsh cawing feels annoying. 

Similarly, a person's true refinement is shown not by appearance but by their words, tone, and conduct. 

Speech is the true revealer of inner character.

What you say and how you say it defines your inner nature.

A person’s language, words, and tone can either endear them to others or repel them.  

People naturally develop a feeling of love and respect towards those who are polite in their speech and conduct.

The difference lies not in appearance but in expression, tone, choice of words, and intention behind speech. 

                                                       " Rajan Sachdeva "