Spanish Refranes: “No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír”

In Spanish, there are many refranes (proverbs) that convey wisdom and cultural nuances. Two such refranes that parallel the English saying “you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make it drink” are “no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír” and “no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver.”

“No hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír”

Meaning

This refrán translates to “there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear.” It means that it is impossible to make someone understand or accept something if they are unwilling to listen or acknowledge it.

Examples of Use

1. Situation: You are giving advice to a friend about their unhealthy lifestyle, but they ignore you.
   • Example: He intentado ayudar a Juan con su dieta, pero no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír.
     • (I’ve tried to help Juan with his diet, but there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear.)
2. Situation: A student refuses to accept constructive criticism from their teacher.
   • Example: La profesora le ha explicado varias veces cómo mejorar, pero no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír.
     • (The teacher has explained several times how to improve, but there is no worse deaf person than the one who does not want to hear.)

“No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver”

Meaning

This refrán translates to “there is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see.” It means that it is futile to show someone the truth if they are unwilling to see or accept it.

Examples of Use

1. Situation: You present evidence to someone about a problem, but they choose to ignore it.
   • Example: Le mostré todas las pruebas del fraude, pero no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver.
     • (I showed him all the evidence of the fraud, but there is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see.)
2. Situation: A person refuses to recognize the negative impact of their actions on others.
   • Example: María no reconoce cómo sus acciones afectan a los demás. No hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver.
     • (Maria does not recognize how her actions affect others. There is no worse blind person than the one who does not want to see.)

Both “no hay peor sordo que el que no quiere oír” and “no hay peor ciego que el que no quiere ver” highlight the difficulty of convincing someone who is unwilling to listen or see the truth. These refranes are useful in situations where someone is willfully ignoring advice, evidence, or reality.