The lust of gold, unfeeling and remorseless, the last corruption of degenerate man.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Gold, like the sun, which melts wax, but hardens clay, expands great souls and contracts bad hearts.
—Antoine de Rivarol (1753–1801) French Writer, Epigrammatist
The golden age only comes to men when they have forgotten gold.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Truth, like gold, is to be obtained not by its growth, but by washing away from it all that is not gold.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
Gold’s father is dirt, yet it regards itself as noble.
—Yiddish Proverb
Gold has worked down from Alexander’s time… When something holds good for two thousand years I do not believe it can be so because of prejudice or mistaken theory.
—Bernard M. Baruch (1870–1965) American Financier, Economic Consultant
Gold! Gold! Gold! Bright and yellow, hard and cold.
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845) English Poet, Humorist
A golden key will open every lock.
—Yiddish Proverb
More gold has been mined from the thoughts of men than has been taken from the earth.
—Napoleon Hill (1883–1970) American Author, Journalist, Attorney, Lecturer
All the gold which is under or upon the earth is not enough to give in exchange for virtue.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
Gold is the fool’s curtain, which hides all his defects from the world.
—Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist
Gold does not rust on the ground, and rocks don’t get soaked in the rain.
—Turkish Proverb
When we have gold we are in fear, when we have none we are in danger.
—English Proverb
Everything that gristles is not gold.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
All that glitters is not gold.
—Common Proverb
It is observed of gold, in an old epigram, that to have it is to be in fear, and to want it is to be in sorrow.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
One secures the gold of the spirit when he finds himself.
—Claude M. Bristol (1891–1951) American Journalist, Self-Help Author
Yes, there are times when the gold medal only goes to the winner. But not in the race of life, where the winners are those who are superior not to others but to their former selves.
—Robert Cooper (b.1947) British Diplomat
Don’t gain the world and lose your soul, wisdom is better than silver or gold…
—Bob Marley (1945–81) Jamaican Musician, Singer, Songwriter
As each layer of shadow is mined from the darkness, as each fear is faced and each projection reclaimed, the gold shines through.
—Connie Zweig (b.1949) American Minister, Columnist, Psychotherapist
If you are truthful you will have as much gold as you want.
—Greek Proverb
Golden dishes will never turn black.
—Yiddish Proverb
There are three things that can destroy a preacher, the glory, the gold, and the girls.
—U.S. Proverb
How quickly nature falls into revolt
When gold becomes her object!
For this the foolish over-careful fathers
Have broke their sleep with thoughts, their brains with care,
Their bones with industry.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Gold and silver from the dead turn often into lead.
—Buckminster Fuller (1895–1983) American Inventor, Philosopher
Curst greed of gold, what crimes thy tyrant power has caused.
—Virgil (70–19 BCE) Roman Poet
Gold will be slave or master.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
A man of straw is worth a woman of gold.
—Common Proverb
Mammon has enriched his thousands, and has damned his ten thousands.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Better a friend at court than gold on the finger.
—Welsh Proverb