- English translation
A wasp buzzed around a sharpening stone. “What do you want?” asked the stone. “To lick you,” replied the wasp. “But I wear down iron,” said the stone.
- Literal wording
A wasp buzzed over a whetstone. The stone said, “What do you want?” The wasp said, “To lick you.” The stone said, “I lick iron.”
- Meaning and lesson
The saying warns against seeking trouble that will bring harm upon oneself. The wasp approaches something capable of wearing down iron, failing to recognize how vulnerable it is beside the object it proposes to lick.
The contrast exposes a mismatch between intention and strength: someone imagines they can take on an opponent or obstacle that can easily damage them. The point is self-endangerment through an ill-judged challenge, rather than courage or persistence.
- When it is used
Use it to warn someone whose attempt to provoke or challenge a stronger opponent is likely to hurt them instead. It can also comment on a person bringing trouble upon themselves by underestimating what they are confronting.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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