Distant water won't help to put out a fire close at hand. – chinese proverbs
More from my site
Distant water won’t quench your immediate thirst
A dog won’t forsake his master because of his poverty
A closed mind is like a closed book; just a block of wood
A dish of carrot hastily cooked may still has soil uncleaned off the vegetable
Better to light a candle than to curse the darkness
A crane standing amidst a flock of chickens- Have a mouth as sharp as a dagger but a heart as soft as tofu
A camel standing amidst a flock of sheep- If you want happiness for a lifetime; help someone else
Better a diamond with a flaw than a pebble without one
Better do a good deed near at home than go far away to burn incense
If you want happiness for a year; inherit a fortune