l'etiope non si sbianca

Italian

Etymology

Literally, “the Ethiopian does not bleach himself”, or more loosely translated as “the Ethiopian cannot wash himself white”, from Aesop's fable Washing the Ethiopian White.

Proverb

l'etiope non si sbianca

1. it is futile to try to change human nature; human nature is innate and immutable

See also

• il lupo perde il pelo ma non il vizio (“the wolf may lose his teeth but never his nature”)
• errare è umano