Dress up a stick and it does not appear to be a stick.
More Italian Proverbs:
Who goes to Rome a beast returns a beast.Italian
He who has money to throw away, let him employ workmen, and not stand by.
Italian
He who has land has war.
Italian
He who tells his own affairs will hardly keep secret those of others.
Italian
A gold key opens every door.
Italian
He's a friend at sneezing-time--the most that can be got from him is a "God bless you."
Italian