- English translation
The scorpion and the snake are cut from the same cloth.
- Literal wording
The scorpion is the sister of the snake.
- Meaning and lesson
Two creatures known for their dangerous stings and bites are figuratively treated as siblings. The kinship marks likeness in harmfulness, not any real family tie: whatever small differences separate them, both bring the same pain to anyone who comes near, so neither can claim to be gentler than the other.
The speaker rejects an attempt to rank two offenders, rivals, or bad options as if one were clearly better. By insisting they are equally damaging, the saying ends the comparison and warns the listener not to trust either one.
- When it is used
Use it when someone argues that one of two troublesome people or options is the better choice, to say both cause equal harm and neither deserves preference. Said of real people, it brands both as harmful and can come across as an insult.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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