Ask Twice, Judge Once

(For the tempering of ego and the cultivation of understanding.)

Verse 1:
Swift tongues make crooked roads,
And rumor builds on bones.
Better to ask than to assume,
For truth hates to be alone.

Chorus:
Ask twice, judge once,
Let wisdom have its turn.
The patient find the clearer view,
While hot heads crash and burn.

Verse 2:
A single story rarely fits,
Each life’s a hidden map.
So listen long, and watch your wit—
The truth won’t shout; it taps.

Chorus (repeat)
Ask twice, judge once,
Be gentle with your sight.
The mind grows sharp in silence,
But dull in endless fight.

Bridge:
To pause is not to weaken,
To question is to grow.
Let empathy be your compass—
Where it points, you go.

Final Refrain:
Ask twice, judge once,
And carry that refrain.
For mercy is the mark of sense,
And pride’s the root of pain.