# Looking for an English equivalent to the Alexandre Dumas proverb "La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu'elle a"

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-english-equivalent-to-the-alexandre-dumas-proverb-la-plus-belle-fille-du-monde-ne-peut-donner-que-ce-quelle-a/943083>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [May 28, 2021, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-english-equivalent-to-the-alexandre-dumas-proverb-la-plus-belle-fille-du-monde-ne-peut-donner-que-ce-quelle-a/943083 "2021-05-28T12:06:50Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 2\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Melbourne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Melbourne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Melbourne)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2021, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-english-equivalent-to-the-alexandre-dumas-proverb-la-plus-belle-fille-du-monde-ne-peut-donner-que-ce-quelle-a/943083/21 "2021-06-01T01:14:45Z")

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> [@MrAtoz](#):
>
> “some appointment ticket”).

les petits bleus

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**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\
**Post date:** [June 1, 2021, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/looking-for-an-english-equivalent-to-the-alexandre-dumas-proverb-la-plus-belle-fille-du-monde-ne-peut-donner-que-ce-quelle-a/943083/22 "2021-06-01T03:11:00Z")

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> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#):
>
> > [@Octagon](#):
> >
> > I’m looking for an English equivalent to the Alexandre Dumas proverb “La plus belle fille du monde ne peut donner que ce qu’elle a”. I have found only “No man can give more than he has” or " a man cannot give what he has not got"
> > 
> > Do I take these proverbs literally or is there some other underlying meaning?  
> > I’m not quite sure how to interpret the English proverbs. Can anyone suggest a more useful proverb
> 
> You could do worse than Epictetus: _“If you undertake a role which is beyond your powers, you both disgrace yourself in that one, and at the same time neglect the role which you might have filled with success … Remember that you are an actor in a play, the character of which is determined by the Playwright: if He wishes the play to be short, it is short; if long, it is long; if He wishes you to play the part of a beggar, remember to act even this role adroitly; and so if your role be that of a cripple, an official, or a layman. For this is your business, to play admirably the role assigned you; but the selection of that role is Another’s.”_

I like the way Chris Rock puts it: _When you’re in a relationship, you’re in a band, and when you’re in a band, you have a role to play. Sometimes you’re singing lead, and sometimes you’re playing tambourine. And if you’re playing tambourine, play it RIGHT! Nobody wants to see a pissed-off tambourine player!_

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