εἰς τετρημένον πίθον ἀντλεῖν → run water into a punctured pitcher, to the perforated jar bale water, labour in vain, labor in vain
adj.
P. and V. κενός, μάταιος, ἀνήνυτος, ἀνωφελής, ἀνόνητος, V. ἀνωφέλητος (also Xen.); see useless.
