Vācā Sutta
“Five qualities, monks,
Make for speech to be well-spoken, not ill-spoken,
for which the sages do not find faults nor blame.
What Five?
[When it is]
(1) Spoken at the right time,
(2) Spoken with truth,
(3) Spoken softly,[1]
(4) Spoken with meaning,
(5) Spoken with a heart of Loving-compassion.
These five qualities monks,
Make for speech to be well-spoken, not ill-spoken,
Which is blameless and irreproachable by the wise.
[1] Saṇha (adj.) [cp. Sk. ślakṣṇa] 1. smooth, soft — 2. gentle, mild — 3. delicate, exquisite