proverb · Words worth keeping
Standing pools gather filth.
Standing pools gather filth.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An arrangement left without renewal or attention may deteriorate. The standing pool gives inactivity a visible image of accumulated neglect.
Example
A group reviews an outdated procedure that has collected unnecessary steps instead of preserving it merely because it is familiar.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The pool is imagined to gather unwanted matter because it does not move. As a metaphor, this can encourage review of a routine or institution that has stopped responding to its purpose. It does not make every stable arrangement harmful or provide a scientific account of water quality. A useful reading identifies the actual accumulation or neglected responsibility before calling for change.
When to use it
Use it to examine deterioration caused by identifiable neglect.
Keep in mind
Stability can be valuable; this is not water-quality or health advice.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their 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
- Date unknown
- Culture
- English