--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam…" description: "\"Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction when released without caution and wisdom.\" — W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png" --- # Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become… ![“Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction when released without caution and wisdom.” quote by William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png) > “Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction when released without caution and wisdom.” [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words, when uncontrolled, can cause destructive outcomes like a dam breaking. **In simple terms:** Uncautious speech can cause damage. Key Takeaway Speak wisely and with restraint. Themes communication responsibility wisdom Mood cautious reflective Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - public speaking - conflict resolution - teaching - parenting Key Concepts ethics psychology Questions to Reflect On - When have your words caused unintended harm? - How can you ensure clarity before speaking? A Different Perspective Even careful words can be misinterpreted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Behinds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) [Caution](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution/) [Caution Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/caution-wisdom-837867/) [Dam Reckless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dam-reckless-4530547/) [Dams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dams/) [Destruction](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/destruction/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Peace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace/) [Reckless](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckless/) [Reckless Uncontrollable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reckless-uncontrollable-4530546/) [Tranquil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tranquil/) [Uncontrollable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncontrollable/) [Uncontrollable Torrents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/uncontrollable-torrents-4530548/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) ## Related quotes > [Circumspection and caution are part of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/circumspection-and-caution-are-part-of-wisdom/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [The sound of water escaping from mill dams, etc., willows, old rotten planks, slimy posts, and brickwork, I love such things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-constable/the-sound-of-water-escaping-from-mill-dams-etc-willows-old-rotten/) [John Constable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-constable/) > [A direful death indeed they had That would put any parent mad But she was more than usual calm She did not give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-fleming/a-direful-death-indeed-they-had-that-would-put-any-parent-mad-but-she/) [Marjorie Fleming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-fleming/) > [An unspoiled river is a very rare thing in this Nation today. 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We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-jensen/when-dams-were-erected-on-the-columbia-salmon-battered-themselves/) [Derrick Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-jensen/) > [All this piling up of one technology on top of another-railroad on steamboat, interstate highway on railroad, hydroelectric dam on watermill-had reduced the Mississippi…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-raban/all-this-piling-up-of-one-technology-on-top-of-another-railroad-on/) [Jonathan Raban](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-raban/) > [Never give up; for even rivers someday wash dams away.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-golden/never-give-up-for-even-rivers-someday-wash-dams-away/) [Arthur Golden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-golden/) > [I started inventing things, and then I couldn't stop, like beavers, which I know about. 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In the hands of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegfried-kracauer/the-flood-of-photos-sweeps-away-the-dams-of-memory-never-before-has-a/) [Siegfried Kracauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegfried-kracauer/) ## More by William Arthur Ward > [Vow to be valiant. Resolve to be radiant. Determine to be dynamic. Strive to be sincere. Aspire to be attuned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/vow-to-be-valiant-resolve-to-be-radiant-determine-to-be-dynamic/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) > [“If you can imagine it, you can create it. 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To banish worry, doubt, and fear, to love and laugh and give!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/another-fresh-new-year-is-here-another-year-to-live-to-banish-worry/) [William Arthur Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) [Explore all 155 William Arthur Ward quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/) ## More Behinds quotes > [Resist discouragement by speaking His Word over your future. Keep standing. Keep hoping; keep believing because He is working behind the scenes. He's going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/resist-discouragement-by-speaking-his-word-over-your-future-keep/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [Behind every successful child is an adult who believed in him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/behind-every-successful-child-is-an-adult-who-believed-in-him/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [Elections belong to the people. It's their decision. 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Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/n-d-wilson/) [Browse all 6,789 Behinds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/behinds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction when released without caution and wisdom.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Arthur Ward" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam-can-become-reckless-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Behinds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam-can-become-reckless-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/34a/william-arthur-ward-2681_behinds_words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam_1340937.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Words, like tranquil waters behind a dam, can become reckless and uncontrollable torrents of destruction…” — William Arthur Ward", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "William Arthur Ward", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-arthur-ward/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Words, like tranquil waters behind a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam-can-become-reckless-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-arthur-ward/words-like-tranquil-waters-behind-a-dam-can-become-reckless-and/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```