a Tower of Babel

Meaning: A noisy scene where many people speak different languages, or a confusion of voices.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “The international airport lounge was a Tower of Babel during the strike.”

Category: The Absurd

Origin: From Genesis 11, where people build a tower to reach heaven and God confounds their language so they can no longer understand each other.

Equivalents in other languages

like rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic — Doing something pointless while a disaster happens.
come down on someone like a ton of bricks — To criticize or punish someone very severely.
it doesn't take a rocket scientist — Something is easy to understand; no special intelligence is needed.
a bottomless pit — Something that uses up endless money or effort; also a person who is always hungry.
blow a gasket — To lose one's temper completely.
Ariadne's thread — Something that guides one through a complicated problem.

long time no see — A friendly greeting to someone one has not seen for a long time.
a Judas kiss — An act of apparent friendship that hides betrayal.
the ball is in your court — It is now your turn to act or decide.
all hands on deck — Everyone is needed to help right now.
a banana republic — A small, politically unstable country dominated by a corrupt elite or foreign business.
pick holes in — To find small faults in something, often unfairly.

Sei una forza della natura — You're unstoppable — your energy and drive are bigger than any obstacle.
Hai le mani d'oro — You're extraordinarily skilled with your hands — a craftsperson, cook, or fixer of legend…
Sei una persona d'oro — You're genuinely wonderful — kind, trustworthy, and precious to have in one's life.