With virtue you can’t be entirely poor; without virtue you can’t really be rich.
—Chinese Proverb
There are people in the world so hungry, that God cannot appear to them except in the form of bread.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Nations like men, can be healthy and happy, though comparatively poor… . Wealth is a means to an end, not the end itself. As a synonym for health and happiness, it has had a fair trial and failed dismally.
—John Galsworthy (1867–1933) English Novelist, Playwright
It would be a considerable consolation to the poor and discontented, could they but see the means whereby the wealth they covet has been acquired, or the misery that it entails.
—Johann Georg Ritter von Zimmermann (1728–95) Swiss Philosophical Writer, Naturalist, Physician
However mean your life is, meet it and live it: do not shun it and call it hard names. Cultivate poverty like a garden herb, like sage. Do not trouble yourself much to get new things, whether clothes or friends. Things do not change, we change. Sell your clothes and keep your thoughts.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
Who can confess his poverty and look it in the face, destroys its sting: but a proud poor man, he is poor, indeed.
—Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–38) English Poet, Novelist
I’ve never been poor, only broke. Being poor is a frame of mind. Being broke is only a temporary situation.
—Mike Todd (1907–58) American Theater Personality, Film Producer
Being powerful is like being a lady. If you have to tell people you are, you aren’t.
—Margaret Thatcher (1925–2013) British Head of State
Like two doomed ships that pass in storm we had crossed each other’s way: but we made no sign, we said no word, we had no word to say.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
It is unmistakable madness to live in poverty only to die rich.
—Juvenal (c.60–c.136 CE) Roman Poet
Poor men’s reasons are not heard.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Few save the poor feel for the poor.
—Letitia Elizabeth Landon (1802–38) English Poet, Novelist
The ascetic makes a necessity of virtue.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
It is easy enough to say that poverty is no crime. No; if it were men wouldn’t be ashamed of it. It is a blunder, though, and is punished as such. A poor man is despised the whole world over.
—Jerome K. Jerome (1859–1927) English Humorous Writer, Novelist, Playwright
Pride breakfasted with plenty, dined with poverty, and supped with infamy.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
I have found out in later years that my family was very poor, but the glory of America is that we didn’t know it.
—Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890–1969) American Head of State, Military Leader
Poverty has no greater foe than bashfulness.
—Common Proverb
Poverty sits by the cradle of all our great men, and rocks them up to manhood; and this meager foster-mother remains their faithful companion throughout life.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
A poor man resembles a fiddler, whose music, though liked, is not much praised, because he lives by it; while a gentleman performer, though the most wretched scraper alive, throws the audience into rapture.
—Oliver Goldsmith (1730–74) Irish Novelist, Playwright, Poet
Poverty wants some things, Luxury many things, Avarice all things.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The poor would never be able to live at all if it were not for the poor.
—George Moore (1852–1933) Irish Writer
You don’t seem to realize that a poor person who is unhappy is in a better position than a rich person who is unhappy. Because the poor person has hope. He thinks money would help.
—Jean Kerr (1922–2003) Irish-American Author, Playwright
Poverty is not dishonorable in itself, but only when it comes from idleness, intemperance, extravagance, and folly.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Poverty possesses this disease, that through want it teaches man to do evil.
—Euripides (480–406 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Slumism is the pent-up anger of people living on the outside of affluence. Slumism is decay of structure and deterioration of the human spirit. Slumism is a virus which spreads through the body politic. As other isms, it breeds disorder and demagoguery and hate.
—Hubert Humphrey (1911–78) American Head of State, Politician
Love and business and family and religion and art and patriotism are nothing but shadows of words when a man’s starving.
—O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) (1862–1910) American Writer of Short Stories
To attempt the destruction of our passions is the height of folly. What a noble aim is that of the zealot who tortures himself like a madman in order to desire nothing, love nothing, feel nothing, and who, if he succeeded, would end up a complete monster!
—Denis Diderot (1713–84) French Philosopher, Writer
A poor beauty finds more lovers than husbands.
—English Proverb
Four specters haunt the Poor—Old Age, Accident, Sickness and Unemployment. We are going to exorcise them. We are going to drive hunger from the hearth. We mean to banish the workhouse from the horizon of every workman in the land.
—David Lloyd George (1863–1945) British Liberal Statesman
The honest poor can sometimes forget poverty. The honest rich can never forget it.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
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