He knows much who knows how to hold his tongue.慎言的人最聪明。
此谚语是倒装句,是谚语中常见的句式。一般句法应该是He who knows how to hold his tongue knows much。to hold his tongue直译是“控制他的舌头”,也就是“慎言”之意。为此,此谚语的深层意义为:He talks much errs much.(言多必失)。
同样意思的谚语还有:
He is a wise man who speaks little.(这也是句倒装句,speaks little也是“慎言”的意思)
A still tongue makes a wise head.(still tongue也有speak little的意思)
Be swift to hear, slow to speak.(slow to speak也相当于“慎言”)
中文成语“言多必失”也是这意思。可是无聊的人讲话不懒:
The tongue of idle persons is never idle.
无聊的人的舌头永远不会有空闲。
其他有关谚语还可参阅Speech is silver, silence is golden.