Let sleeping dogs lie
"Let sleeping dogs lie" is an English proverb known at least since the 14th century. This saying suggests that when an old problem is no longer causing anyone trouble, it might be better left undiscussed: "Possibly he cohabited with Miss Bloggs, but don't mention it in front of his wife, let the sleeping dogs lie", and dormant controversies should not be restarted even if they were never resolved. This intent is similar to the meanings of sayings like "Don't rock the boat", "Never trouble trouble till trouble troubles you".
History
An early version in belongs to Chaucer and is predated by earlier, "wake not the sleeping dog". The Chaucer's character, Pandarus, when uttering the phrase, is speaking literally, referring to Criseyde's ladies sleeping outside her chamber.The Oxford Dictionary of Proverbs traces the following evolution of the saying:
- ;It's best To let a sleeping mastiff rest ;Take my advice and as little about him as he does about you. Best to let sleeping dogs lie.
Other languages
The was an idiom for a dangerous subject that should not be touched upon since at least the 16th century. The form of expression varies. is to create an inconvenience to oneself by attracting attention.dates back to, when Bosone da Gubbio made a wordplay on an, the Chinese Emperor.
Expression is known in Russian, usually in the form, "don't wake up trouble while it is quiet".
In Swedish, the expression is practically the same as in English, but the dog is replaced by a bear:, "don't wake a sleeping bear".
The idiom is unfamiliar to the speakers of Arabic who mostly fail to recognize its meaning.