דִּבֵּר אֶל עֵצִים וְאֶל אֲבָנִים

ביטוי (אנגלית)

Spoke to trees and stones/ to speak in vain

הגדרה (אנגלית)

Spoke without anyone listening or paying attention to his words.

(“And he spoke of the trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop that grows out of the wall” — I Kings 5:13 (referring to King Solomon’s ability to speak about all things); and likewise: “Come and see how great is the power of evil speech—whence do we learn it? From the spies; and if one who brings forth a bad name about wood and stones is thus, how much more so one who brings forth a bad name about his fellow” — Arakhin 15a; and likewise: “And he spoke of trees and of stones, and when he raised his voice there was none who understood him, yet he toiled in his folly as an ox toils over its fodder” — Judah al-Ḥarizi, Ma‘aseh be-Ḥazzan ‘Am ha-Aretz; and likewise: “And on what does Rabbi Gaddiel not discourse? the writer asked; does he not speak also of trees and of stones?” — Abraham Mapu, Ayit Tsavua, p. 67; and likewise: “And it came to pass that when she burst forth like last year’s snow and pounded like groats, she lifted up firmament and skies, and spoke of trees and stones” — Saul Tchernichovsky, Mordechai ha-Pudovkai)