proverb · Legacy record
The mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
The mouth of a fool brings ruin near.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying makes a fool’s mouth bring ruin closer. It links careless speech with an imagined harmful consequence.
What the words are saying
The mouth stands for what is said, while near makes the danger approach. A qualified application can consider the effects of a particular remark rather than predicting disaster from a label. The phrase does not establish an inevitable outcome or a speaker’s entire character.
Everyday example
Someone checks a serious allegation before repeating it because the actual statement may affect others.
When to use it
Use it to examine possible consequences of a specific utterance.
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What it does not mean
No inevitable ruin or fixed judgment of a person is established.
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
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 149; PDF page 25
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.