Nothing came out of the sack but what was in it.

Meaning: You cannot obtain results from circumstances that lack the necessary ingredients or potential.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Wisdom

You may as well bid me lade the sea with a nutshell. — Attempting impossible tasks with inadequate tools wastes effort and invites ridicule.
An oak is not felled by one blow. — Great strength and resilience require persistent effort; single attempts cannot overcome…
An occasion lost cannot be redeemed. — Missed opportunities vanish permanently; time's passing erases chances that won't return.
An old cat laps as much as a young kitten. — Age doesn't diminish appetite or basic needs; elderly and young require similar sustenanc…
As the old cock crows so crows the young. — Children naturally imitate their parents' behavior, words, and habits rather than followi…
An old dog barks not in vain. — Experience earns credibility; when veterans finally speak, their warnings deserve serious…

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