saw off the branch one is sitting on

Verb

 * 1) To pursue a course of action that will lead to self-destruction.

Translations

 * Finnish: sahata omaa oksaansa
 * French:
 * German: den Ast absägen, auf dem man sitzt
 * Hungarian:
 * Polish:
 * Russian: пили́ть сук, на кото́ром сиди́шь