proverb · Words worth keeping
Keep me from still water; from that which is rough I can keep myself.
Keep me from still water; from that which is rough I can keep myself.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An unobvious difficulty may be harder to recognise than a visible one. Still and rough water contrast a concealed risk with something that already signals caution.
What the words are saying
The speaker asks protection from quiet water while expressing confidence about rough water. As a metaphor, this can prompt attention to what appearances do not reveal. It should not become water-safety instruction or suspicion toward quiet people. A careful reading considers the evidence available and acknowledges that an obvious problem may also exceed one’s capacity to manage it.
Everyday example
A team checks an apparently simple arrangement for hidden dependencies instead of examining only its most visible problem.
When to use it
Use it to question an assumption of safety drawn from a calm appearance.
What it does not mean
Visible and hidden problems both need assessment; this is not water-safety advice.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases
Entry 1529 · Still water
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English