गधा धोएर गाई हुदैन।
“Washing a donkey does not turn it into a cow.”
A superficial change of appearance cannot alter a person's or a thing's true underlying nature.
— Traditional Nepal Wisdom, Nepal
Source: Traditional Nepal proverb, public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from Nepal
A bad name is worse than death.
A ruined reputation causes deeper harm than death itself; honor is worth more than mere survival.
One who cannot dance blames the courtyard for being crooked.
A poor workman blames his tools; people who fail often blame their surroundings instead of their own lack of skill.
A one-eyed uncle is better than no uncle at all.
Something imperfect is still better than having nothing at all.
For a blind ox, the new moon and the full moon are the same.
Things that matter greatly to others make no difference to one who cannot perceive or understand them.
A dog once struck with a firebrand is frightened even by a flash of lightning.
A painful past experience leaves lasting caution, so that even a harmless reminder of it provokes fear.
A cumin seed in an elephant's mouth.
Used for an amount so small that it makes no real difference against a much greater need — a mere drop in the ocean.