λέβητας ἔγνων μὴ σιωπᾶν εἰδότας,
πλὴν ἄρτια τὸν χαλκὸν ἠχεῖν προτρέπειν,
ἀντικτυποῦντος τοῦ πρώτου τῷ δευτέρῳ,
καὶ μεταδιδόντος τῷ τετάρτῳ τοῦ τρίτου.

ἐὰν δὲ τὸ κινοῦν ἠρεμῇ καὶ μὴ πνέῃ,
ἄφωνος ὁ λέβης: τῇ φύσει γὰρ οὐ λάλος.
τῶν σῶν δὲ λεβήτων ἡ φύσις μὲν εὔστομος:
σῇ ^ δ᾽ ἐντυχοῦσα γίνετ᾽ εὐστομωτέρα,
σιγῶς1᾽ ὅταν δεῖ, καὶ λαλοῦς1᾽ ὅταν δέοι.

— Paton edition

I know of caldrons that cannot be silent, but incite the brass to sound articulately, the first responding to the second, and the third transferring the sound to the fourth. But if the motive force is still and does not blow, the caldron is voiceless, for it is not gifted with speech by nature. But the nature of your caldrons is well spoken, and meeting with your own nature it becomes more so, keeping silence when meet and speaking when meet.

— Paton edition