fiddle while rome burn

/fˈɪdəl wˌaɪl ɹˈəʊm bˈɜːn/

/fˈɪdəl wˌaɪl ɹˈoʊm bˈɜːn/

to fiddle while rome burn

to neglect important issues and handle less important ones instead

Examples

1. Environmentalists claimed governments were fiddling while Rome burned.

2. Climate change is upon us and our leaders just fiddle while Rome burns.

3. They want to play their fiddles while Rome burns, but we’ve got a chance to be successful in spite of them.

4. They want to play their fiddles while Rome burns, but we’ve got a chance to be successful in spite of them.