You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but You Can't Make Him Drink
(you can propose a course of action to someone, but you can't force that person to accept it)
Did you enjoy your dinner at that new French restaurant last night?
I sure did, but Larry might as well not have come. I ordered the house special and both the waiter and I recommended that Larry do the same, but he ended up ordering what he could have had in any coffee shop - a cheeseburger and fries! Imagine that!
Well, you know what they say : you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. If I remember correctly, Larry has always stuck to American cuisine.
That's true. And I realize that you can suggest to another person what he should do, but you can't make him take your advise. I guess I'll just have to keep Larry always from continental cuisine until he's ready to try something new.
stuck to = (stick to)
You Can Lead a Horse to Water, but You Can't Make Him Drink
その気のない者には、はたからどうすることもできない(you can propose a course of action to someone, but you can't force that person to accept it)
−ゆうべ、あの新しいフランス料理の店で食べてみてどうだった？おいしかった？
Did you enjoy your dinner at that new French restaurant last night?−ほんとにおいしかったわ。でも、ラリーは来ないほうがよかったかもね。わたし、当店のおすすめ品というのを注文してから、ラリーにも同じ物を注文したらって、ウェイターといっしょに薦めてみたのよ。なのに、ラリーったら結局、どこのコーヒーショップでも食べられそうなものを注文するんですもの。チーズバーガーとポテトフライよ。考えてもみて。
I sure did, but Larry might as well not have come. I ordered the house special and both the waiter and I recommended that Larry do the same, but he ended up ordering what he could have had in any coffee shop - a cheeseburger and fries! Imagine that!−ほら、ことわざにも言うじゃないか。「馬を水辺までつれていくことは出来ても、水を飲ませることはできない」って。たしかラリーって、アメリカ料理にすごくこだわっていたよね。
Well, you know what they say : you can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink. If I remember correctly, Larry has always stuck to American cuisine.−そうね、他人にはああしろこうしろと指図は出来ても、実際にその忠告を受け入れさせるのは無理なんですものね。本人が何か新しい食べ物に挑戦してみようっていう気になるまでは、いつまでもアメリカ料理ばかり食べさせておくほかないでしょうね。
That's true. And I realize that you can suggest to another person what he should do, but you can't make him take your advise. I guess I'll just have to keep Larry always from continental cuisine until he's ready to try something new.