you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear

English

Etymology

From make a silk purse of a sow's ear, with the common perception of swine as unrefined, dirty, or base creatures.

Proverb

you can't make a silk purse of a sow's ear

1. It is not possible to produce something refined, admirable, or valuable from something which is unrefined, unpleasant, or of little or no value.

Synonyms

• you can't polish a turd

Translations

it is not possible to produce something refined from something which is unrefined

• Afrikaans: al dra 'n aap 'n goue ring, hy is en bly 'n lelike ding (af) (literally “the monkey remains ugly even when he wears a golden ring.”)
• Greek: τον γάιδαρο, όσο και να τον στολίσεις, άλογο δεν γίνεται (ton gáidaro, óso kai na ton stolíseis, álogo den gínetai)
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• Italian: non si può cavare sangue da una rapa
• Polish: i w Paryżu nie zrobią z owsa ryżu (pl)
• Russian: из говна конфетку не сделаешь (iz govna konfetku ne sdelaješʹ) (you can't make a candy from shit)
• Spanish: aunque la mona se vista de seda, mona se queda (es)

See also

• put lipstick on a pig