Encyclopaedia of Sanskrit subhāṣitas 94

94

akṛtadviṣadunnaticchidaḥ śritasaṃrakṣaṇavandhyakarmaṇaḥ /
puruṣasya nirarthakaḥ karaḥ kila kaṇḍūyanamātrasārthakaḥ //

The hand of a man who has not cut down the rising power of his foes, / whose deeds are futile in protecting those who seek refuge, / is indeed useless; it serves only for scratching an itch.