To carry coals to Newcastle.
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.
- He that is born a fool is never cured.
- You cannot make a silk purse of a sow's ear.
- Look not for musk in a dog's kennel.
- 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 the same language
English
-
To carry owls to Athens.
Similar proverbs in another language
Latin
-
In silvam ligna ferre.
To carry wood into the forest.
-
Soli lumen inferre.
To bring the light of the sun.
-
Ligna in silvam portare stultum est.
It is foolish to carry wood into the forest.
French
-
C'est le diable à confesser.
It's the devil to confess.
-
Montrer le soleil avec un flambeau.
Show the sun with a torch.
-
C'est folie puiser l'eau au cribleau.
It's madness to draw water with a sieve.
German
-
Holz nach dem Wald tragen.
Carry wood after the forest.
Czech
-
Do lesa dříví nevoz, do moře vody nenos.
Carry no wood into the forest, carry no water into the sea.
-
Platno, jako by hrách na stěnu házel.
It's as valid as throwing peas at a wall.
-
Z písku provaz plésti.
To knit a rope out of sand.
-
Do děravé nádoby líti.
Into a leaky vessel to pour.
-
Písek v snopky vázati.
To bind sand in sheaves.
-
Učiti raka přímo choditi.
To teach a crayfish to walk straight.
-
V strništi ryby loviti.
To catch fish in the stubble.
-
Říčicí vodu vážiti.
Weigh the water of the river.
-
Hluchého kárati.
Reprove the deaf.