Trust not still water nor a silent man.
Meaning: Stillness can mask danger; silence often conceals intentions, schemes, or untapped depths beneath a placid surface.
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 Challenge
- After a storm comes a calm. — Hardship is temporary; peaceful periods naturally follow difficult ones.
- Sufficient for the day is the evil thereof. — Worrying about tomorrow's troubles prevents you from managing today's actual problems eff…
- He deserves not the sweet that will not taste the sour. — Pleasure earned through hardship is more valuable and meaningful than unearned comfort.
- He teacheth ill who teacheth all. — Overwhelming learners with everything prevents them from mastering anything truly valuabl…
- The tide will fetch away what the ebb brings. — Fortunes gained easily through circumstance will inevitably be lost when conditions rever…
- Set trees poor, and they will grow rich; set them rich, and they will grow poor. — Excessive initial resources weaken plants' root development, while hardship forces them t…
From our compliments & insults
- Hai le mani d'oro — You're extraordinarily skilled with your hands — a craftsperson, cook, or fixer of legend…
- Sei una persona d'oro — You're genuinely wonderful — kind, trustworthy, and precious to have in one's life.
- Che spettacolo! — You look absolutely stunning — a spontaneous burst of admiration for someone's appearance.