- English translation
Be wary in the very spot where you feel secure.
- Literal wording
The place where you feel safe, be afraid.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying urges vigilance precisely where a person feels most secure. Its colloquial word simply means 'place', the spot one counts as safe. A sense of safety relaxes attention, and that is exactly when unforeseen trouble can strike, so confidence should never become a reason to stop watching.
More broadly, it expresses a wary outlook: no ground is entirely free of risk, and the most painful surprises often come from quarters one had stopped questioning.
- When it is used
Suitable when cautioning someone who has let their guard down because a setting, arrangement, or person seems completely reliable. It works as a gentle reminder that comfort can breed carelessness, not as an accusation that harm is certain.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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