Strive for moderation in our speech; aim for a balance between extremes; communicate effectively without wasting time or energy on unnecessary words or phrases.

This hadith speaks to the importance of moderation and brevity when speaking. It is said that Amr ibn al-'As was present when a man spoke at length, and he commented that it would have been better for him if he had been more moderate in his speech. The Prophet Muhammad then said that he himself has been commanded to be brief in what he says, as brevity is better than long-windedness. This teaches us that we should strive for moderation in our speech, not going on too long or saying too much, but also not being too brief or terse either. We should aim for a balance between the two extremes so as to communicate effectively without wasting time or energy on unnecessary words or phrases.