Send a wise man on an errand and say nothing to him.
Meaning: Trust competent people to understand their task without micromanagement or unnecessary explanation.
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 Communication
- One eye-witness is better than ten hearsays. — Direct observation beats secondhand reports because eyewitnesses capture truth free from…
- God send me a friend that may tell me my faults; if not, an enemy, he will be sure to. — Criticism from friends teaches growth; enemies provide it regardless, so seek honest feed…
- Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth. — Self-awareness in youth allows course correction before mistakes become entrenched life p…
- A fool may ask more questions in half an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years. — Foolish questioning consumes time unproductively while wisdom requires patient, deliberat…
- Foxes, when they cannot reach the grapes, say they are not ripe. — Those denied what they desire rationalize their rejection rather than admit their inabili…
- All are not friends that speak us fair. — Flattery conceals hostile intent; pleasant words alone don't guarantee genuine friendship.
From our compliments & insults
- 懐が深い (futokoro ga fukai) — You're broad-minded, generous of spirit, and able to embrace the complexity of others wit…
- Você é um amor — You're a sweetheart — warm, caring, and impossible not to like.
- Você tem muita garra — You have fierce, relentless determination — you claw your way through any obstacle.