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English speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Folk Sayings, Famous Quotes or Proverbs on Money
A
o Abundance of things engenders disdainfulness.
o Adversity makes me; prosperity makes monsters.
o Advice is cheap.
o All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.
o Another day, another dollar.
o Anything will fit a naked man.
o Avoid dishonest gain -- no price can recompense the pangs of vice.
B
o Bad gains are true losses.
o A bad penny always turns up.
o A banker is someone who lends you an umbrella when the sun is shining, and who asks for it back when it starts to rain.
o A bargain is a bargain.
o A bargain is something you don't need at a price you can't resist.
o Be just before you are generous.
o Beggars' bags are bottomless.
o Beggars can never be bankrupt.
o Beggars can't be choosers.
o The best things in life are free.
o Better a dollar earned than ten inherited.
o Better be born lucky than rich.
o Better be sparing at first than at last.
o Better go to bed without supper than rise in debt.
o Better to be a man of character than a man of means.
o Better to be safe than sorry.
o Beware of little expenses; a small leak will sink a great ship.
o A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
o Born with a silver spoon in his/her mouth (Meaning: Born in a rich family).
o A buckle is a great addition to an old shoe.
o Business before pleasure.
o Business is business (Meaning: Forget morals, business is business).
o Buy on the rumor; sell on the news.
o Buy the best and you only cry once.
o Buyer beware.
o The buyer needs a hundred eyes, the seller but one.
C
o Can't get blood from a stone.
o Clothes don't make the man.
o Clothes make the man.
o Cheapest is the dearest.
o Children are poor men's riches.
o Civility costs nothing and buys everything.
o Creditors have better memories than debtors.
o The cobbler's children go barefoot.
o Content makes poor men rich; discontent makes rich men poor.
o Crime does not pay.
o The customer is always right.
o Cut your coat according to your cloth.
D
o Dally not with other folk's spouses or money.
o Death is the poor man's best physician.
o Death pays all debts.
o Debt is the worst poverty.
o The devil dances in empty pockets.
o Diligence is the mother of good fortune.
o Divide and rule.
o Don't bite the hand that feeds you.
o Don't count your chickens before they're hatched.
o Don't kill the goose that lays the golden eggs.
o Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
o Don't robe Peter to pay Paul.
E
o The early bird catches the worm.
o Early to bed and early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.
o Easy come, easy go.
o Easier said than done.
o An empty purse frightens away friends.
o The English are a nation of shopkeepers.
o Every man has his price.
F
o A fair exchange is no robbery.
o Feel for others, in your pocket.
o Finders keepers, losers weepers.
o First come, first served.
o A fool and his money are soon parted.
o The forest is the poor man's overcoat.
o Forgetting a debt doesn't mean it's paid.
G
o God help the rich man, let the poor man beg!
o God help the rich, the poor can look after themselves.
o God helps them that help themselves. Or, God helps those that help themselves.
o Gold is the dust that blinds all eyes.
o A good name is better than riches.
o A good servant makes a good master.
o A good spouse and health is a person's best wealth.
o Gratefulness is the poor man's payment.
o A great fortune is a great slavery.
o Great spenders are bad lenders.
o Greed often overreaches itself.
H
o Half a loaf is better than none.
o Half the world knows not how the other half lives.
o A hut is a palace to the poor man.
o Have not, want not.o He is the best general who makes the fewest mistakes.
o He is not poor that has little, but he that desires much.
o He that goes aborrowing, goes asorrowing.
o He that has a full purse never wanted a friend.
o He that has no money needs no purse.
o He that is master of himself, will soon be master of others.
o He that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. [Old Testament]
o He that marries for money will earn it.
o He that never fails will never grow rich.
o He that pays the piper, calls the tune.
o He that plants a tree plants for posterity.
o He that serves God for money will serve the devil for better wages.
o He that serves everybody is paid by nobody.
o He that steals an egg will steal an ox.
o He that waits on fortune is never sure of a dinner.
o He who likes borrowing dislikes paying.
o Health is better than wealth.
o A heavy purse makes a light heart.
o His money burns a hole in his pocket.
I
o Idle hands are the devil's playthings.
o If you are in debt, somebody owns a part of you.
o If you buy cheaply, you pay dearly.
o If you buy what you don't need you might have to sell what you do.
o If you dance you must pay the fiddler.
o If you know how to spend less than you get, you have the philosopher's stone.
o If wishes were horses, beggars would ride.
o Industry pays debts, despair increases them.
o In for a penny, in for a pound.
o In times of prosperity friends will be plenty, in times of adversity not one in twenty.
o It's easy to be generous with another man's money.
o It's hard but glorious to be poor and honest.
o It is more difficult to maintain honor than to become prosperous.
o It is sweet to drink but bitter to pay for.
o It's the early bird that gets the worm.
o It takes pennies to make dollars.
J
o Jack of all trades, master of none.
K
o Keep thy shop, and thy shop will keep thee.
o Kill not the goose that lays the golden eggs.
L
o Lack of resource has hanged many a person.
o Learning is better than house and land.
o Lend your money and lose your friend.
o Less is more.
o A light purse is a heavy heart.
o A light purse makes a heavy heart.
o Living high on the hog (Meaning: Living high or Living beyond one's means).
o Living from hand to mouth (Meaning: Having very little money).
o A loaded wagon makes no noise (Meaning: People with real money don't talk about it).
o Look after the pennies and the pounds will look after themselves.
M
o Make hay while the sun shines.
o A man cannot grow rich without his wife's leave.
o Many hands make light work.
o A misery father makes a prodigal son.
o Money begets money.
o Money cannot buy happiness.
o Money can't buy everything, but everything needs money.
o Money doesn't grow on trees.
o Money goes where money is.
o Money has no smell.
o Money is a good servant but a bad master.
o Money is money (wherever it comes from).
o Money is sweet but the bee stings.
o Money isn't everything.
o Money is the root of all evil.
o Money makes the world go around.
o Money is never out of season.
o Money often unmakes the men who make it.
o Money spent on the brain is never spent in vain.
o Money talks.
o A moneyless man goes fast through the market.
o More than enough is too much.
o The more sins you confess, the more books you will sell.
o Muck and money go together.
N
o Necessity is the mother of invention.
o Necessity never made a good bargain.
o Neither a borrower nor a lender be.
o Never bet your money on another man's game.
o Never look a gift horse in the mouth (Meaning: Never criticize a gift).
o Never marry for money. You can borrow it cheaper.
o Never spend your money before you have it.
o Neg legacy is as rich as honesty.
o No bees, no honey; no work, no money.
o No money, no justice.
o No man can serve two masters.
o No man can lose what he never had.
o No pain, no gain.
o Nothing is certain but death and taxes.
o Nothing succeeds like success.
o Nothing ventured, nothing gained.
O
o One man's junk is another man's treasure.
o One man's loss is another man's gain.
o Opportunity seldom knocks twice.
o Out of debt, out of danger.
P
o Patience, time and money accommodate all things.
o Pay what you owe and what you're worth you'll know.
o A penny for your thoughts.
o A penny saved is a penny earned (Meaning: Be careful with your money and you'll be able to save it little by little).
o Penny wise, pound foolish.
o Poor men seek meat for their stomach, rich men stomach for their meat.
o A pound of care will not pay a pound of debt.
o Poverty breeds discontent.
o Poverty is no disgrace but decidedly inconvenient.
o Poverty is no sin.
o Poverty is not a shame, but the being ashamed of it is.
o Poverty waits at the gates of idleness.
o Put a beggar on horseback and he'll ride it to death.
o Put a beggar on horseback and he'll ride to the devil.
o Put your trust in money but your money in trust.
R
o The rich get richer and the poor get children.
o Robbing Peter to pay Paul.
o Rolling in money (Meaning: being rich).
S
o Save for a rainy day.
o Scatter with one hand, gather with two.
o Scratch my back and I'll scratch yours (Meaning: Help me out, and then I'll help you.).
o The second million is always easier than the first.
o Servants like ornaments should be used int heir proper places.
o Servants make the worst masters.
o The shoemaker's son always goes barefoot.
o Short debts make long friends.
o Sleep cats catch no mice.
o Something is better than nothing.
o Strike while the iron is hot (Meaning: When an opportunity presents itself, take it.).
T
o Take care of your pennies and your dollars will take care of themselves. Originally, Take care of the pence and the pounds will take care of themselves.
o They that dance must pay the fiddler.
o "There are three faithful friends: an old wife, an old dog and ready money." [Benjamin Franklin]
o A thief passes for a gentleman when stealing has made him rich.
o Time is money.
o There is always someone worse off than you.
o There is honor among thieves.
o There's money in muck.
o There is no honor among thieves.
o There is no one so rich that the does not want more.
o There is no such thing as a free lunch.
o There is one law for the rich, and another for the poor.
o They that dance must pay the fiddler.
o To buy a pig in a poke (Meaning: To pay for something you haven't seen or you know nothing about.)
o To live the life of Riley.
o To live in clover.
W
o A wager is a fool's argument.
o Waste not, want not.
o We'll just have to make do.
o What's yours, is yours.
o What the boss says goes.
o When the cat's away, the mice will play (Meaning: Often said of workers who stop working when the boss isn't around.).
o Where there's muck, there's bass.
o Who breaks, pays.
o Willful waste makes woeful want.
Y
o You are what you own.
o You can't get blood from a stone.
o You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
o You can't take it with you (when you die).
o You win some, you lose some.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1256599
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Spanish speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Spanish Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Money Matters
A
o in English translation: Although the monkey dresses in silk, she is still a monkey.
- English equivalent: You can't make a silk purse out of a sows' ears.
B
o Between brothers, two witnesses and a notary.
o in English translation: A bird in the hand is better than a hundred flying birds.
- Meaning: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- Spanish original: Mas vale pajaro en mano que cien volando.
C
o in English translation: Cheap things turn out to be expensive.
- Meaning: It is better to buy something of high quality, than continually repair something of low quality.
- Spanish original: Lo barato sale caro.
D
o Don't offer me advice, give me money.
o in English translation: Don't sell the bear's fur before you hunt it.
- Meaning: Don't count your chickens before they hatch.
- Spanish original: No vendas la piel del oso antes de cazarlo.
E
o Everything moves with money, even the dog's will dance.
- Spanish original: Con dinero baila el perro.
H
o A handsome man is not quite poor.
o He that is rich will not be called a fool.
o He who is contented is not always rich.
o in English translation: He who rises early gathers clear water.
- Equivalent: Early bird gets the worm.
- Spanish original: El que madruga coge agua clara.
I
o It's not the gay coat that makes the gentleman.
o If you pay not a servant his wages then he will pay himself.
o in English translation: In a blacksmith's house all knives are wooden.
- Meaning: Someone doesn't know how to apply their knowledge to their own life.
- Equivalent: The cobbler's wife/children goes unshod.
Spanish original: Casa de herrero, cuchillo de palo.
o It is better to be born a beggar than a fool.
L
o in English translation: Lazy people work twice.
- Meaning: If you don't do the work right the first time, you'll work twice as hard later.
- Spanish original: El perezoso trabaja doble.
N
o Never offer your hen for sale on a rainy day.
o in English translation: Not everything that glimmers is gold.
- Spanish original: No es oro todo lo que reluce.
P
o Poverty is not perversity.
R
o in English translation: A rough river is a profit for the fishers'.
- Spanish original: Rio revuelto, ganancia de pescadores.
T
o in English translation: The time wasted the saints cry for.
- Meaning: Time is money.
- Spanish original: El tiempo perdido los santos lo lloran.
W
o What belongs to everybody belongs to nobody.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #810706
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German speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: German Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Money Matters
A
o in English translation: Aristocracy obligates.
- German original: Adel verpflichtet.
o The ass loaded with gold still eats thistles.
B
o A bad penny always comes back.
o A bargain is a bargain.
o in English translation: Better one-eyed than blind.
- Equivalent: Better something than nothing.
- German original: Besser einaugig als blind.
o in English translation: Better your own bread than another's roast.
- Meaning: What's yours, is yours.
- German original: Besser eigenes brot als fremder braten.
o in English translation: Clothes make the man.
- German original: Kleider machen leute.
D
o in English translation: The devil always shits on the biggest pile.
- Meaning: Where money already is, more money goes.
- German original: Der teufel scheibt immer auf den grobten haufen.
o in English translation (literally): Don't bet on only one card.
- Equivalent: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
- German original: Setz nicht alles auf eine karte.
o in English translation (literally) Don't worry about eggs that haven't been laid.
- Equivalent: Don't count your eggs before they hatch.
- German original: Sich nicht um ungelegte eir kummern.
F
o in English translation: Fraud is a shopkeepers field and plow.
- Meaning: Shopkeepers deal in fraud.
- German original: Betrug ist der kramer acker und pflug.
G
o A good trade will carry farther than a thousand florins.
H
o in English translation: The healthy does not know how rich he is.
- German original: Der gesunde weib nicht, wie reich er ist.
o A hundred years of regret pay not a farthing of debt.
I
o If the servant grows rich and the master poor they are both no good.
o in English translation: If in need, the devil eats flies.
- Equivalent: Beggars can't be choosers.
- German original: In der not frisst der teufel fliegen.
o in English translation (literally): If the horseman is bad, it's the horse's fault.
- English equivalent: A poor craftsman blames his tools.
- German original: Wenn der reiter nichts taught, ist das pferd schuld.
o in English translation (literally): If there wasn't the little word "if," my father would be a millionaire.
- German original: Wenn das wortchen wenn nicht war, war mein vater millionar.
L
o in English translation (literally): The last shirt has no pockets.
- Meaning: Piling up money won't serve you anything once you're dead.
- Equivalent: You can't take it with you.
- German original: Das letzte hemd hat keine taschen.
N
o in English translation (literally) Not all that glitters is gold.
- German original: Es ist nicht alles gold, was glanzt.
O
o in English translation: One cow moos, many cows make work.
- German original: Eine kuh macht much, viele kuhe machen muhe.
o in ENGLISH translation: One shouldn't sell the bear's fur before it has been killed.
- Equivalent: Don't count your chickens before they are hatched.
- German original: Man soll das fell des baren nict verkaufen, bevor man ihn erlegt hat.
S
o Set a beggar on horseback and he'll out ride the Devil.
o in English translation: A sparrow in the hand is better than a pigeon on the roof.
- Equivalent: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.
- German original: Besser ein spatz in der hand, als eine taube auf dem dach.
T
o in English translation: Time is money.
- German translation: Zeit ist geld.
o in English translation: To buy a cat in a bag.
- Meaning: To pay for something you haven't seen or you know nothing about.
- German original: Die katze im sack kaufen.
o in English translation: To live like God in France.
English equivalent: To live in clover.
- German original: Leben wie gott in frankreich.
o in English translation (literally): Travel illegally, save money.
- Meaning: The one who doesn't pay for a ticket is the one who saves money.
- German original: Schwarz fahren, geld sparen.
W
o in English translation (literally): Who wants not, has already.
- Meaning: He who does not want something already has enough.
- German original: Wer nicht will, der hat schon.
o in English translation: Work ennobles.
- German original: Arbeit adelt.
Y
o in English translation: you aren't worth the taler if you don't honor the pfennig.
- German original: Wer den pfennig nicht ehrt, ist des talers nicht wert.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #810501
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French speaking countries | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: French Proverbs or Folk Sayings on Money Matters
A
o in English translation (literally) Advisors aren't the ones who pay.
- Equivalent: Advice is cheap.
- French original: Les conseillers ne sont pas les payeurs.
B
o Bear wealth, poverty will bear itself.
o Better buy than borrow.
o in English translation (literally): Better to hold than to run.
- Equivalent: A bird in hand is worth two in a bush.
- French original: Mieux vaut tenir que courir.
o in English translation: Business is business.
- French original: Les affaires sont les affaires.
C
o in English translation: A carpenter is known by his chips.
- French original: A l'oeuvre, on connait l'ouvrier.
o in English translation (literally): The cobblers have the worst shoes.
- Equivalent: The cobbler's children go barefoot.
- French original: Les cordonniers sont les plus mal chausses.
D
o in English translation: Don't put all your eggs in one basket.
- French original: Il ne faut pas mettre tous ses oeufs dans le meme panier.
o in English translation (literally) Don't sell the bearskin before you've killed the bear.
- English equivalent: Don't count your chickens before they've hatched.
- French original: Il ne faut pas vendre la peau de l'ours avant de l'avoir tue.
o in English translation (literally): Don't undress Peter to dress Paul.
- Meaning: Don't rob Peter to pay Paul.
- French original: Il ne faut pas deshabiller Pierre pour habiller Paul.
E
o Economy is the wealth of the poor and the wisdom of the rich.
G
o in English translation: Good accounts make good friends.
- French original: Les bons comptes font les bons amis.
o in English translation: Good tools make good workers.
- French original: Les bons outils font les bons ouvriers.
o in English translation (literally): The grass is always greener at the neighbours'.
- Equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side.
- French original: l'herbe est toujours plus verte chez le voisin.
H
o in English translation (literally): The grass is always greener at the neighbours'.
- Equivalent: The grass is always greener on the other side.
- French original: l'herbe est toujours plus verte chez le voisin.
o in English translation: Happiness worth more than riches.
- French original: Contentement passe richesse.
o He that goes a-borrowing goes a-sorrowing.
L
o in English translation: Love does much, but money does all.
- French original: L'amour fait beaucoup, mais l'argent fait tout.
M
o in English translation (literally): Money doesn't make happiness.
- Equivalent: Money can't buy happiness.
- French original: L'argent ne fait pas le bonheur.
o in English translation: The money hammer opens the iron door.
- French original: Marteau d'argent ouvre porte de fer.
o in English translation (literally): Money is not found under a horse's hoof/step.
- Equivalent: Money doesn't grow on trees.
- French original: L'argent ne se trouve pas sous le sabot/ le pas d'un cheval.
o in English translation: Money is round so it can roll.
- French original: L'argent est rond pour rouler.
o in English translation: Money is the nerve of war.
- French original: L'argent est le nerf de la guerre.
N
o in English translation (literally): Need makes law.
- Equivalent: Beggars can't be choosers.
- French original: Necessite fait loi.
O
o One beggar at the door is enough.
o in English translation (literally) One lends only to the rich.
- Equivalent: Only the rich get richer.
- French original: On ne prete qu'aux riches.
P
o The poor lack much but the greedy more.
o in English translation: The purse opens the mouth.
- French original: La bourse ouvre la bouche.
R
o Riches run after the rich, and poverty runs after the poor.
S
o The surest way to remain poor is to be an honest man.
T
o in English translation: There are more purchasers than those in the know.
- French original: Il y a plus d'acheteurs que de connaisseurs.
o in English translation (literally): There is no inane craft.
- Meaning: Every trade has its value.
- French original: Il n'ya pas de sot metier.
o in English translation (literally): There is no small profit.
- English equivalent: A penny saved is a penny earned.
- French original: Il n'y a pas de petit profit.
o A throne is only a bench covered with velvet.
o in English translation: Time is money.
- French original: Le temps c'est de l'argent.
W
o in English translation: Who does not have money in the purse must have honey in the mouth.
- French original: Qui n'a point argent en bourse ait miel en bouche.
o in English translation (literally): The world belongs to those who rise early.
- Equivalent: The early bird catches the worm.
- French original: Le monde appartient a ceux qui se levent tot.
o Wrinkled purses make wrinkled faces.
Y
o in English translation (literally): You can't have both the butter and the money from the butter/ and the dairywoman.
- Equivalent: You can't have your cake and eat it too.
- French original: On ne peut avoir le beurre et l'argent du beurre. Sometimes On ne peut pas avoir le beurre, l'argent du beurre et la cremiere.
o in English translation: You can't have the bacon and the pig.
- French original: On ne peut avoir le lard et le cochon.
o in English translation (literally): You can't turn a buzzard into a sparrow hawk.
- Equivalent: You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear.
- French original: On ne peux faire d'une buse un epervier.
| Contributed by: Image courtesy of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #824488
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The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Money Matters
o "Give a loan and make an enemy." | Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524803
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The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Money Matters
o "He who lacks a single tael sees many bargains." | Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524807
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The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Money Matters
o "If you are poor keep out of the crowd."
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524815
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The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Money Matters
o "All my goods are of silver and gold," says the boaster, "even my copper kettles."
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524797
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The East | | Date: Centuries-old | Notes: Eastern Proverb or Folk Saying on Money Matters
o "The woman who sells fans often shades her eyes with her hand."
| Contributed by: Image courtesty of The New York Public Library, Digital Gallery #1524865
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