To begin, two pieces with a similar meanings, different visuals. Hope you like them:
Harsh words hurled at a hard-headed man will for a moment gain his attention; but his ravings will go on.
Harsh words hurled at the guileless one will accomplish their full purpose, and a
crushing of the spirit along with it.
_ _ _ _ _
An anvil on the head of leviathon* turns him away from you;
but a mere hand strikes the moth, and it will never molest anyone again.
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* Crocodile.