Rub your sore eye with your elbow.

Meaning: Attempting the impossible wastes effort; some problems lack practical solutions.

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

Translations

Spanish: El ojo limpiale con el codo (literally: Wipe your eye with your elbow)

Give it plenty of elbow grease. — Sustained physical effort and hard work can overcome obstacles that seem intractable or r…
That's but an empty purse that's full of other men's money. — Borrowed wealth brings no security; true richness comes from what you genuinely own.
Empty vessels make the greatest sound. — Loudest complaints often come from those with least knowledge or substance to contribute.
England is the Paradise of women. — Women historically enjoyed greater legal protections, property rights, and social freedom…
Enough and to spare is too much. — Abundance beyond necessity breeds excess and waste, inviting trouble rather than security.
He that throws away his estate with his hands, goes afterwards to pick it upon his feet. — Careless squandering forces you into degrading labor to recover what you carelessly destr…

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