Gato escaldado de água fria tem medo.
“A scalded cat fears even cold water.”
A painful past experience makes a person fearful even of situations that pose no real danger.
— Traditional São Tomé & Príncipe Wisdom, São Tomé & Príncipe
Source: Traditional Portuguese-language proverb, shared Lusophone oral heritage of São Tomé & Príncipe (official language), public-domain oral tradition
More Proverbs from São Tomé & Príncipe
Who does not risk, does not snack.
Nothing is gained without taking some chance; caution alone brings no reward.
Soft water on hard stone strikes until it bores through.
Gentle but constant effort eventually overcomes even the hardest obstacle.
Go slowly and you will go far.
Steady, unhurried effort leads to greater and more lasting achievement than haste.
Sow the wind and you will reap the storm.
Reckless or harmful actions bring consequences far larger than the act itself.
A bird in the hand is worth two in flight.
A smaller, certain gain is worth more than a larger, uncertain one.
The fish's child knows how to swim.
Children often inherit the skills, trade, or character of their parents.