Michael Apostolios, Centuria 11.51
“No knife for a child: don’t delegate serious matters to the inexperienced, lest they somehow use them for their own advantage.”
Μὴ παιδὶ μάχαιραν: μὴ τοῖς ἀπείροις ἐγχειρίζειν πράγματα μεγάλα, μή πως καθ’ ἑαυτῶν χρήσωνται.
Suda
“No knife for a child: for those who entrust to the incompetent. Eupolis also writes in the Demes “public affairs are not for a child.”
Μὴ παιδὶ μάχαιραν: ἐπὶ τῶν εἰκῆ ἐγχειριζόντων. καὶ Εὔπολις Δήμοις· μὴ παιδὶ τὰ κοινά.
Different takes on the two proverbs:
“Don’t give children a knife”
“Public affairs aren’t child’s play”
