nourish a viper in one's bosom

English

Etymology

From Aesop's fable The Farmer and the Viper.

Verb

nourish a viper in one's bosom (third-person singular simple present nourishes a viper in one's bosom, present participle nourishing a viper in one's bosom, simple past and past participle nourished a viper in one's bosom)

1. (idiomatic) To do acts of kindness that will be met with ingratitude and will cause one harm in the end.

   Synonym: cherish a snake in one's bosom

Translations

to do kind deeds rewarded with harm

• Czech: hřát si hada na prsou (cs)
• Dutch: een adder aan zijn borst koesteren
• Finnish: elättää käärmettä povellaan, elättää kyytä povellaan
• French: réchauffer un serpent dans son sein (fr)
• German: eine Schlange am Busen nähren (de)
• Hungarian: kígyót melenget a keblén
• Polish: hodować żmiję na własnym łonie impf
• Portuguese: please add this translation if you can
• Russian: пригре́ть змею́ на груди́ pf (prigrétʹ zmejú na grudí)
• Spanish: please add this translation if you can
• Turkish: koynunda yılan beslemek (tr)