- English translation
What was dug in secret has grown until everyone can see it.
- Literal wording
The breach has lit up.
- Meaning and lesson
The image is a breach dug into a wall. A thief cuts a small opening to work unseen, but if the hole widens and the room fills with light, the intruders are exposed.
The saying is applied to a shameful matter that is kept out of sight and then allowed to continue unchecked until it shows itself. The emphasis falls on the disgrace being left to expand, not on secrecy or theft in general; concealment fails because the wrongdoing grows until it is seen.
- When it is used
Use this saying when someone's shameful conduct, kept hidden for a time, keeps growing until it is exposed. It fits situations where persistence in a concealed wrong makes it visible, and it warns that hiding misconduct tends to fail.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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