This proverb refers to a person who outwardly shows that they do not want to fight or engage in conflict, yet secretly keeps means to defend themselves or to counter-attack. This can be seen as a sign of caution or duplicity. The equivalent English proverb would be: ‘One claims not to want to fight, yet always keeps a weapon handy.’ In other words, it is important not to judge people’s intentions solely by their words, but also to consider their actions and preparations.