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Mr. Tom Posted 11 years ago
Vocabulary

Those who dig a hole for others usually fall in it themselves.

Hi

The following is a famous saying in my language. Would you say it works in English -- I mean the tranlation?

Those who dig a hole for others usually fall in it themselves.

Thanks,

Tom
  

Top answer

I'd probably modify it a bit: Those who dig pits for others usually fall in them themselves. Or, to make it singular: He who digs a pit for another usually falls in it himself. I think "pit" works better than "hole" in this context.

— Ozzourti

  • I'd probably modify it a bit: Those who dig pits for others usually fall in them themselves.
  • Or, to make it singular: He who digs a pit for another usually falls in it himself.
  • I think "pit" works better than "hole" in this context.
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3 Answers
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I'd probably modify it a bit:

Those who dig pits for others usually fall in them themselves.

Or, to make it singular:

He who digs a pit for another usually falls in it himself.

I think "pit" works better than "hole" in this context.
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The idiom Hoist by his own petard is still sometimes used by educated people.
It is usually associated with the play 'Hamlet'.

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/hoi
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Mr. TomThose who dig a hole for others usually fall in it themselves.
It is nearly verbatim from the Bible. Here is the citation and various translations:
https://www.biblegateway.com/verse/en/Proverbs%2026:27
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