Meanings
proverb
- humoroussarcasticThe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for it.
Translations
Czech nikdo nemá rád posly špatných zpráv, nestřílejte pianistu
- nikdo nemá rád posly špatných zprávthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- nestřílejte pianistuthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- nenadávej na zrcadlo když máš křivou hubuthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Dutch geef niet de boodschapper de schuld, schiet niet op de boodschapper
- geef niet de boodschapper de schuldthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- schiet niet op de boodschapperthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- schiet niet van de boodschapperthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Finnish älä ammu viestintuojaa
- älä ammu viestintuojaathe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
French ne tuez pas le messager, ne tirez pas sur le messager
- ne tuez pas le messagerthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- ne tirez pas sur le messagerthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- ce n’est pas en cassant le thermomètre qu’on fait tomber la fièvrethe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Italian ambasciator non porta pena
- ambasciator non porta penathe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Polish nie strzelaj do posłańca
- nie strzelaj do posłańcathe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Russian горькие вести и гонцу не на ра́дость, по вестям и гонца встречают
- горькие вести и гонцу не на ра́дость (gorʹkije vesti i goncu ne na rádostʹ)the bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- по вестям и гонца встречают (po vestjam i gonca vstrečajut)the bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Spanish no disparen / disparéis / maten / matéis al mensajero, el que avisa no es traidor
- no disparen / disparéis / maten / matéis al mensajerothe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
- el que avisa no es traidorthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Swedish skjut inte budbäraren
- skjut inte budbärarenthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Turkish elçiye zeval olmaz
- elçiye zeval olmazthe bearer of bad news should not be held accountable for the bad news
Cite this entry
APA
don't shoot the messenger. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20shoot%20the%20messenger
MLA
“don't shoot the messenger.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20shoot%20the%20messenger. Accessed November 5, 2026.
Chicago
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “don't shoot the messenger,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/don't%20shoot%20the%20messenger.
Source: don't shoot the messenger on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.