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You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink

Meaning: You can offer help, but you can't force someone to accept it.

Origin: English proverb from the 12th century, one of the oldest in the language.

Translations

  • French: On ne peut pas forcer quelqu'un à faire ce qu'il ne veut pas (literally: You can't force someone to do what they don't want)
  • Spanish: Puedes llevar un caballo al agua, pero no obligarlo a beber (literally: You can take a horse to water, but not force it to drink)
  • Japanese: 馬を水辺に連れて行けるが水を飲ませることはできない (Uma wo mizube ni tsurete ikeru ga mizu wo nomaseru koto wa dekinai) (literally: You can lead a horse to water but can't make it drink)

More proverbs about Human Nature

  • Misery loves company — Unhappy people seek others who are also suffering.
  • Out of sight, out of mind — We tend to forget things or people we don't see.
  • A cat has nine lives — Cats (or resilient people) survive many dangerous situations.
  • All's fair in love and war — Normal rules don't apply in romance or conflict.
  • A friend in need is a friend indeed — True friends show their worth during difficult times.
  • The squeaky wheel gets replaced — Constant complainers may be removed rather than accommodated.

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