Look not for musk in a dog's kennel.
Proverbs on a similar topic
- No man can serve two masters.
- If wishes were horses beggars would ride.
- You cannot eat your cake and have it.
- To carry coals to Newcastle.
- He that is born a fool is never cured.
- You cannot make a silk purse of a sow's ear.
- If the young man would and the old man could, there would be nothing undone.
- You cannot flay the same ox twice.
Related proverbs
Similar proverbs in another language
Latin
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In scirpo nodum quaeris.
You are looking for a knot in the rope.
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Mulgere hircum.
Milking a goat.
French
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Faire de la bouillie pour les chats.
Making porridge for cats.
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Ce qui ne fut jamais ni ne sera, c'est le nid d'une souris dans l'oreille d'un chat.
What never was or will be is a mouse's nest in a cat's ear.
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C'est prêcher dans le désert.
It's like preaching in the desert.
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Demander de la laine à un âne.
Ask a donkey for wool.
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Ce sont balles perdues.
These are lost bullets.
German
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Vom Esel kann man nicht Wolle fordern.
You cannot demand wool from the donkey.
Czech
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Kaž vlku orati, sytému sedláku se postiti.
Every wolf shall plough, and every farmer shall fast.
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Chtít od jalové krávy tele.
Asking a calf from a lame cow.
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Nehledej fíky na trní.
Don't look for figs on thorns.
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Chtít od býka mléko.
Asking the bull for milk.