proverb · Words worth keeping
Trust not still water nor a silent man.
Trust not still water nor a silent man.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Quiet appearances can conceal what an observer has not understood. The still water and silent person warn against treating lack of visible disturbance as complete knowledge.
Example
A facilitator asks privately whether a quiet participant has concerns instead of assuming either agreement or hostile intent.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The saying links two kinds of quiet and regards both with suspicion. A useful reading asks what evidence is missing rather than assuming safety or agreement from silence. It must not turn a reserved person into a threat merely because they speak little. Silence can reflect temperament, uncertainty, privacy or exclusion. The relevant task is to understand the situation fairly, not to distrust a whole style of communication.
When to use it
Use it to question an unsupported assumption drawn from silence.
Keep in mind
Quiet people are not inherently deceptive or dangerous; this is not water-safety 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