Don't wake a sleeping dog.
Meaning: Disturbing a calm situation risks provoking unnecessary anger or conflict.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Small things affect light minds. — Trivial matters preoccupy the intellectually shallow while serious thinkers remain focuse…
- Speculation completes what extravagance began. — Unfounded assumptions compound the damage already caused by reckless spending.
- He would split a hair. — Obsessive attention to trivial distinctions wastes effort on meaningless differences.
- Stolen kisses are sweet. — Illicit affection tastes delicious precisely because secrecy and danger make it thrilling…
- Store is no sore. — Abundance acquired through prudent saving prevents the pain of future scarcity and want.
- Straight trees have crooked roots. — Trees growing perfectly upright often develop twisted root systems compensating for soil…
From our compliments & insults
- Tienes mucho arte — You have natural flair, charm, and creative talent — an effortless quality that can't be…
- Eres todo un personaje — Said with deep affection: you're unforgettable, one of a kind, impossible to replace.
- Sei una forza della natura — You're unstoppable — your energy and drive are bigger than any obstacle.