proverb · Words worth keeping
When sorrow is asleep, wake it not.
When sorrow is asleep, wake it not.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Do not needlessly revive a distress that has temporarily eased. Sleeping sorrow pictures a respite worth treating with care.
What the words are saying
The saying imagines a painful concern becoming quiet and asks the reader not to disturb that peace without reason. It can encourage sensitivity when choosing whether to raise an upsetting subject. Silence is not always helpful: someone may want to talk, seek support or address an unresolved harm. A careful reading follows the person’s needs and the purpose of the conversation rather than demanding that painful experience remain unspoken.
Everyday example
A friend asks whether someone wants to discuss a difficult memory instead of unexpectedly bringing it up during a calm occasion.
When to use it
Use it to consider timing and consent when raising a painful subject.
What it does not mean
Needed support or accountability should not be silenced in the name of avoiding distress.
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 1475 · Sorrow
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English