What does the expression “quieter than water, lower than grass” mean?
“What, is he ‘тише воды, ниже травы’ (‘tishe vody, nizhe travy’) or ‘the quieter than water, lower than grass?’” If you were asked this question, don't worry: No one is going to measure the noise of the nearest river or find out if the lawn is well mown.
We are talking about someone who has impressed with his meekness and modesty. For example, in the novel ‘On the Mountains’ by Pavel Melnikov-Pechersky, the main character's employees were described in this way. “At other times, Mark Danilych's workers were very rowdy, but now, from the first to the last, they are quieter than water, lower than grass, they walk like a line along the bottom, they will not muddy the waters.”
And a character in Ivan Goncharov's novel ‘The Precipice’ explains his love to his beloved: “If you share my love, I will stay here, I will live ‘quieter than water, lower than grass’… do what you want… What else? Or… we’ll leave together!”
An English equivalent would be: “As meek as a mouse.”
