- English translation
Let it stay in its nest till a hornet comes along and chases it away.
- Literal wording
Leave it in its nest until the hornet comes and drives it out.
- Meaning and lesson
The saying advises against disturbing something that has settled into place. As long as nothing forces a change, the wiser choice is to let the situation run its course until necessity intervenes, rather than stepping in early.
The image is of a bee colony left in its hive until an invading hornet (not a bear) drives it out. Change, in this view, should come from real pressure, not from restlessness or a wish to tinker.
- When it is used
Use this to talk someone out of meddling with an arrangement that is working well enough, whether a person, a household matter, or a workplace setup. The advice is to hold off until outside pressure makes change unavoidable, rather than acting early and causing needless upheaval.
- Register
- colloquial
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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