A-Z: Common sayings from the Bible: Digging a hole for oneself

Usage

Contriving a scheme to discomfit someone else, but becoming the victim of it oneself.

Definition

In a literal sense, pits were used to trap animals; in a metaphorical sense, this phrase refers to any scheming against another that backfires on the schemer.

Bible References

Proverbs 26:27; Ecclesiastes 10:8; Psalms 57:6

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Like snow in summer or rain in harvest, so honor is not fitting for a fool. ²Like a sparrow in its flitting, like a swallow in its flying, a curse that is causeless does not alight. ³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the donkey, and a rod for the back of fools. ⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. ⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. ⁶Whoever sends a message by the hand of a fool cuts off his own feet and drinks violence. ⁷Like a lame man's legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools. ⁸Like one who binds the stone in the sling is one who gives honor to a fool. ⁹Like a thorn that goes up into the hand of a drunkard is a proverb in the mouth of fools. ¹⁰Like an archer who wounds everyone is one who hires a passing fool or drunkard. ¹¹Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly. ¹²Do you see a man who is wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him. ¹³The sluggard says, There is a lion in the road! There is a lion in the streets! ¹⁴As a door turns on its hinges, so does a sluggard on his bed. ¹⁵The sluggard buries his hand in the dish; it wears him out to bring it back to his mouth. ¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can answer sensibly. ¹⁷Whoever meddles in a quarrel not his own is like one who takes a passing dog by the ears. ¹⁸Like a madman who throws firebrands, arrows, and death ¹⁹is the man who deceives his neighbor and says, I am only joking! ²⁰For lack of wood the fire goes out, and where there is no whisperer, quarreling ceases. ²¹As charcoal to hot embers and wood to fire, so is a quarrelsome man for kindling strife. ²²The words of a whisperer are like delicious morsels; they go down into the inner parts of the body. ²³Like the glaze covering an earthen vessel are fervent lips with an evil heart. ²⁴Whoever hates disguises himself with his lips and harbors deceit in his heart; ²⁵when he speaks graciously, believe him not, for there are seven abominations in his heart; ²⁶though his hatred be covered with deception, his wickedness will be exposed in the assembly. ²⁷Whoever digs a pit will fall into it, and a stone will come back on him who starts it rolling. ²⁸A lying tongue hates its victims, and a flattering mouth works ruin.

¹As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. ²As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. ³A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. ⁴Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. ⁵Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. ⁶He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. ⁷The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. ⁸As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. ⁹As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouths of fools. ¹⁰The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. ¹¹As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. ¹²Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. ¹³The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. ¹⁴As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. ¹⁵The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. ¹⁶The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. ¹⁷He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. ¹⁸As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, ¹⁹So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? ²⁰Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. ²¹As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. ²²The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. ²³Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. ²⁴He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; ²⁵When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. ²⁶Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. ²⁷Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. ²⁸A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Dead flies make the perfumer's ointment give off a stench; so a little folly outweighs wisdom and honor. ²A wise man's heart inclines him to the right, but a fool's heart to the left. ³Even when the fool walks on the road, he lacks sense, and he says to everyone that he is a fool. ⁴If the anger of the ruler rises against you, do not leave your place, for calmness will lay great offenses to rest. ⁵There is an evil that I have seen under the sun, as it were an error proceeding from the ruler: ⁶folly is set in many high places, and the rich sit in a low place. ⁷I have seen slaves on horses, and princes walking on the ground like slaves. ⁸He who digs a pit will fall into it, and a serpent will bite him who breaks through a wall. ⁹He who quarries stones is hurt by them, and he who splits logs is endangered by them. ¹⁰If the iron is blunt, and one does not sharpen the edge, he must use more strength, but wisdom helps one to succeed. ¹¹If the serpent bites before it is charmed, there is no advantage to the charmer. ¹²The words of a wise man's mouth win him favor, but the lips of a fool consume him. ¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness, and the end of his talk is evil madness. ¹⁴A fool multiplies words, though no man knows what is to be, and who can tell him what will be after him? ¹⁵The toil of a fool wearies him, for he does not know the way to the city. ¹⁶Woe to you, O land, when your king is a child, and your princes feast in the morning! ¹⁷Happy are you, O land, when your king is the son of the nobility, and your princes feast at the proper time, for strength, and not for drunkenness! ¹⁸Through sloth the roof sinks in, and through indolence the house leaks. ¹⁹Bread is made for laughter, and wine gladdens life, and money answers everything. ²⁰Even in your thoughts, do not curse the king, nor in your bedroom curse the rich, for a bird of the air will carry your voice, or some winged creature tell the matter.

¹Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. ²A wise man's heart is at his right hand; but a fool's heart at his left. ³Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool. ⁴If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. ⁵There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: ⁶Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. ⁷I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. ⁸He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him. ⁹Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. ¹⁰If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. ¹¹Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better. ¹²The words of a wise man's mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. ¹³The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness. ¹⁴A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? ¹⁵The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city. ¹⁶Woe to thee, O land, when thy king is a child, and thy princes eat in the morning! ¹⁷Blessed art thou, O land, when thy king is the son of nobles, and thy princes eat in due season, for strength, and not for drunkenness! ¹⁸By much slothfulness the building decayeth; and through idleness of the hands the house droppeth through. ¹⁹A feast is made for laughter, and wine maketh merry: but money answereth all things. ²⁰Curse not the king, no not in thy thought; and curse not the rich in thy bedchamber: for a bird of the air shall carry the voice, and that which hath wings shall tell the matter.

English Standard Version
King James Version

¹Be merciful to me, O God, be merciful to me, for in you my soul takes refuge; in the shadow of your wings I will take refuge, till the storms of destruction pass by. ²I cry out to God Most High, to God who fulfills his purpose for me. ³He will send from heaven and save me; he will put to shame him who tramples on me. Selah God will send out his steadfast love and his faithfulness! ⁴My soul is in the midst of lions; I lie down amid fiery beasts&emdash; the children of man, whose teeth are spears and arrows, whose tongues are sharp swords. ⁵Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth! ⁶They set a net for my steps; my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my way, but they have fallen into it themselves. Selah ⁷My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast! I will sing and make melody! ⁸Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn! ⁹I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples; I will sing praises to you among the nations. ¹⁰For your steadfast love is great to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. ¹¹Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!

¹Be merciful unto me, O God, be merciful unto me: for my soul trusteth in thee: yea, in the shadow of thy wings will I make my refuge, until these calamities be overpast. ²I will cry unto God most high; unto God that performeth all things for me. ³He shall send from heaven, and save me from the reproach of him that would swallow me up. Selah. God shall send forth his mercy and his truth. ⁴My soul is among lions: and I lie even among them that are set on fire, even the sons of men, whose teeth are spears and arrows, and their tongue a sharp sword. ⁵Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens; let thy glory be above all the earth. ⁶They have prepared a net for my steps; my soul is bowed down: they have digged a pit before me, into the midst whereof they are fallen themselves. Selah. ⁷My heart is fixed, O God, my heart is fixed: I will sing and give praise. ⁸Awake up, my glory; awake, psaltery and harp: I myself will awake early. ⁹I will praise thee, O Lord, among the people: I will sing unto thee among the nations. ¹⁰For thy mercy is great unto the heavens, and thy truth unto the clouds. ¹¹Be thou exalted, O God, above the heavens: let thy glory be above all the earth.

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