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I came across the following proverb at this site.

He that is silent, gathers stones.

Can anyone explain its meaning?

Thanks in advance.

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  • The person who says nothing gets more and more stones. The concrete meaning depents on the context.
    – marsh-wiggle
    Commented Aug 3, 2016 at 6:21
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    You have linked to an explanation. Please specify what you did not understand about that explanation.
    – Em.
    Commented Aug 3, 2016 at 6:27
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    @Max I think the comma and that instead of who confuse the OP.
    – Damkerng T.
    Commented Aug 3, 2016 at 6:30
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    It means: "Beware of the quiet ones. They're likely meditating on revenge".
    – Strawberry
    Commented Aug 3, 2016 at 15:44

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This proverb shares the same idea (but is put the other way around) with A barking dog never bites.

He that is silent gathers stones (I don't think a comma should be there) literally means "a person who is silent gathers stones", and quite possibly this person is going to attack someone else with these stones sooner or later. (The word stones here doesn't have to refer to real stones. It can be and quite possibly is used figuratively.)

Barking dogs don't bite; they just keep barking.
On the other hand, angry people who are silent are more dangerous. They may be plotting something.

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Just to add some more nice sayings expressing the same idea. You never know the way a silent or a reticent man may act ( you never know what to expect).

Still waters have deep bottoms. Beware of a silent dog and still water.

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It means "Don't mistake someone being silent for someone not memorizing your confessions" or "Don't mistake someone saying nothing for someone achieving nothing" (the most likely reason to gather stones is either throwing them or building a house).

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It means that whatever unspeakable acts have been witnessed throughout one's life to gather stones and defend oneself from the heinous acts of others is the wisest choice of the silent listening observer.

To see war, the observer does not want to talk about it but gather tools for one's own existence to survive impending threats.

Stoning is also a reference to many cultures of punishment for those who harm, such as to be "stoned at the stake" or "stoned walking through the town square." Chimps also display this type of punishment system.

If the phrase is used against you, you are perhaps the wrongdoing. If used to describe you, you have been wronged and should prepare oneself.

Whatever the meaning, stone means to defend against abusers and probably dates back prior to technological advances in weapontry.

-Credibility as per American Literature Courses 6 years.

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  • I have never encountered this proverb before, but I certainly don't take from it the bellicose meaning that you assert it has.
    – Colin Fine
    Commented Jul 21, 2022 at 19:51
  • Nope. I stand by it. Thanks for your disheartening proof of human negligence perhaps proof why I will collect stones. And as Reddit, I will not change my words to suit others. Although I have cited plenty enough to become unapologetic in unique words of my own without others’ borrowed.
    – SJA39564
    Commented Jul 22, 2022 at 23:08

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