nourish a viper in one's bosom

Questions

What does nourish a viper in one's bosom mean?

To do acts of kindness that will be met with ingratitude and will cause one harm in the end.

Where does nourish a viper in one's bosom come from?

From Aesop's fable The Farmer and the Viper.

How to pronounce nourish a viper in one's bosom

1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “nourish a viper in one's bosom”.
2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “nourish a viper in one's bosom”.
4. Repeat and practice — Say “nourish a viper in one's bosom” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.