This proverb emphasizes the importance of prudence and moderation in speech. Just as an overly long skirt can become cumbersome and an overly short skirt can be embarrassing, excessive or thoughtless words can cause trouble for the speaker. It reminds us that it is crucial to choose our words carefully and avoid excess to prevent misunderstandings or compromising situations. An equivalent proverb in English would be ‘Speech is silver, but silence is golden’.