ProverbWisdomEnglish originc. 1385

Let sleeping dogs lie

Meaning: Don't stir up trouble that has settled down.

Example: “Don't mention the inheritance at dinner; let sleeping dogs lie.”

Origin: Chaucer's Troilus and Criseyde (c. 1385) warns that it is no good to wake a sleeping hound. The modern "let sleeping dogs lie" became standard in the 19th century, and Walter Scott used it in his novel Redgauntlet (1824). The advice is to leave a quiet problem alone rather than stir it up.

Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, German, Italian, and 2 more languages

  • French: Il ne faut pas réveiller le chat qui dort (literally: One must not wake the sleeping cat)
  • Spanish: Mejor no menear el avispero (literally: Better not to stir the wasp's nest)
  • Japanese: 寝た子を起こすな (Neta ko wo okosu na) (literally: Don't wake the sleeping child)
  • German: Schlafende Hunde soll man nicht wecken (literally: One should not wake sleeping dogs)
  • Italian: Non svegliare il can che dorme (literally: Don't wake the sleeping dog)
  • Dutch: Men moet geen slapende honden wakker maken (literally: One shouldn't wake sleeping dogs)
  • Polish: Nie wywołuj wilka z lasu (literally: Don't call the wolf out of the forest)

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