A proverb meaning it's safer to stay silent or not draw attention to yourself; speaking or making noise can bring trouble (literally: the pheasant would not be shot if it did not cry).
会議で余計なことを言わない方がいい。雉も鳴かずば撃たれまいだ。
It's better not to say unnecessary things at the meeting. As the proverb goes, 'the pheasant would not be shot if it did not cry.'
彼は問題に関して黙っていた。『雉も鳴かずば撃たれまい』という考えだ。
He stayed silent about the issue. He was following the idea 'better to stay quiet.'
余計な反論をすると事が大きくなる。雉も鳴かずば撃たれまいということだ。
If you make unnecessary rebuttals the matter will grow. It's the case of 'better to keep silent.'