Δελφῖνα νήχεσθαι διδάσκεις
you are teaching a dolphin to swim.
Translated by Catharine Roth8 May 2002Vetting: high6 revisions
Translation
[sc. A proverbial phrase] in reference to those who train someone in matters in which they are already expert.1 Also [sc. attested is] "you are tying a dolphin by the tail"; in reference to to the impossible; because of the agility and slipperiness [of dolphins].
Greek original · Adler’s text
Δελφῖνα νήχεσθαι διδάσκεις· ἐπὶ τῶν ἐν ἐκείνοις τινὰ παιδοτριβούντων, ἐν οἷς ἤσκηνται. καὶ Δελφῖνα πρὸς τὸ οὐραῖον δεῖς· ἐπὶ τῶν ἀδυνάτων· διὰ τὸ εὐκίνητον καὶ ὀλισθηρόν.
Betacode
*delfi=na nh/xesqai dida/skeis: e)pi\ tw=n e)n e)kei/nois tina\ paidotribou/ntwn, e)n oi(=s h)/skhntai. kai\ *delfi=na pro\s to\ ou)rai=on dei=s: e)pi\ tw=n a)duna/twn: dia\ to\ eu)ki/nhton kai\ o)lisqhro/n.