saw off the branch one is sitting on

Meaning: To harm one's own position or interests.

Language: English

Literally: (Already vivid in English)

Example: “Firing the only engineer who understands the system is sawing off the branch you're sitting on.”

Category: Nature

Origin: A familiar image of folly found in many European languages; in English it is common from the 20th century.

Equivalents in other languages

Danish: At save den gren over man selv sidder på — literally: To saw off the branch you're sitting on

the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence — Other people's situations always seem better than one's own.
every cloud has a silver lining — Something good can come out of any bad situation.
still waters run deep — Quiet people often have deep thoughts or strong feelings.
when it rains, it pours — Bad things tend to happen together.
Avoir le vent en poupe — To be doing very well; everything is going your way.
Avoir la tête dans les nuages — To be a daydreamer; out of touch with reality.

go around the houses — To take a needlessly long or roundabout way.
do the heavy lifting — To do the hardest part of a job.
a bad workman blames his tools — People who do poor work blame their equipment instead of themselves.
ask for trouble — To behave in a way likely to cause problems for oneself.
worth the price of admission — So entertaining that it would be worth paying to watch.
pull a long face — To look sad, sulky or disappointed.

Você tem muita garra — You have fierce, relentless determination — you claw your way through any obstacle.
Ты умница (ty umnitsa) — You're bright, clever, and admirable — said warmly of someone who handles things well.
У тебя золотые руки (u tebya zolotye ruki) — You're extraordinarily skilled — able to make or fix anything with your hands.