proverb · Words worth keeping
Doing nothing is doing ill.
Doing nothing is doing ill.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Failing to act can be harmful when a real responsibility calls for action. The saying draws attention to omission rather than only to obvious misconduct.
What the words are saying
The sentence challenges the idea that not doing anything is necessarily neutral. A commitment may require a response, and neglect can affect other people even without an aggressive act. It can prompt someone to consider what their inaction permits or leaves undone. Its broad wording needs qualification: restraint can be wise, and a person may lack the ability to intervene. A useful reading identifies the duty, the available action and the likely consequence rather than praising activity for its own sake.
Everyday example
A person who agreed to pass on important information recognises that remaining silent would leave others unable to prepare.
When to use it
Use it to discuss the consequence of neglecting a specific responsibility.
What it does not mean
Not every pause is harmful, and people cannot meet responsibilities beyond their power.
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 1160 · Nothing
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- English