Beggary Proverbs

Sayings about Beggary and Begging

When two paupers get married it is the beginning of a generation of beggars. ~ Mexican Proverb Learn to handle a writing-brush and you’ll never handle a begging – bowl. ~Chinese Proverbs If everything that came from your tongue were to come into your hands, then every beggar would be a pasha. ~Turkish Proverbs There is no pride like that of a beggar grown rich. ~French Proverbs He started with nothing and still he has just his begging bag. ~ Walloon Proverb It is a beggar’s pride that he is not a thief. ~Japanese Proverbs If a man from humble beginnings gets rich, he will carry his umbrella at midnight. ~Indian Proverbs Young drinkers, old beggars. ~German Proverbs The best morsels are never given to a beggar. ~ African Proverb A bashful beggar has an empty wallet. ~Hungarian Proverbs The court official in one life has seven rebirths as a beggar. ~ Chinese Proverb Always be well dressed, even when begging. ~ Indian Proverb A beggar won’t mind being insulted. ~ African Proverb He who gives away his belongings, slowly becomes a beggar. ~Colombian Proverbs A beggar will always be a beggar even if they give him the whole world as a gift. ~Iranian Proverbs A beggar himself, can he afford to have one asking for alms at his door? ~ Indian Proverb A beggar on his feet is worth more than an emperor in his grave. ~ French Proverb The beggar that begs near another beggar will never be rich. ~ Creole Proverb (Southern U.S.) In love beggar and king are equal. ~ Indian Proverb Better a live beggar than a dead king. ~ Chinese Proverb It is a grief to one beggar that there is another at the door. ~Dutch Proverbs When the sea turned into honey, the beggar lost his spoon. ~Bulgarian Proverbs If wishes were horses then beggars would ride. ~English Proverbs Beggars can’t be choosers. ~ Traditional Proverb To beg of the miser is to dig a trench in the sea. ~ Turkish Proverb Never beg from one who was a beggar. ~ Spanish Proverb Don’t be misled by the tears of a beggar. ~ Bosnian Proverb If beggings hould unfortunately be your lot, knock at the large gates only. ~ Arabian Proverb A slothful man is a beggar’s brother. ~ Scottish Proverb Begged bread has a hard crust. ~ German Proverb Seekers of art; finders of the beggar’s bag. ~ French Proverb The man of many trades begs his bread on Sunday. ~ Romanian Proverb The Gardner had not yet dug out the radish, when the beggar held the alms-bowl in front of him. ~ Kashmiri Proverb The beggar who asks for crumbs gets more than the one who asks for bread. ~ Tamil Proverb The beggar is not afraid of the drawbacks of being rich. ~ Sanskrit Proverb

Quotations about Beggary and Begging

Borrowing is not much better than begging. ~ Ephraim Gotthold Lessing The real beggar is indeed the true and only king. ~ Ephraim Gotthold Lessing Sturdy beggars can bear stout denials. ~ Charles Caleb Colton Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing. ~ Doris Lessing Set a beggar on horseback, and he will ride a gallop. ~ Robert Burton Aspiring beggary is wretchedness itself. ~ Oliver Goldsmith He who begs timidly courts a refusal. ~ Seneca Beggars must be no choosers. ~ Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn. ~ Miguel de Cervantes Most people do not pray; they only beg. ~ George Bernard Shaw A beggar always remains a beggar. Africa, stop begging – you have what it takes to solve your problem. ~ T. B. Joshua Though our donations are made to please ourselves, we insist, upon those who receive our alms being pleased with them. ~ Johann Georg von Zimmermann Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks, but I thank you; and sure, dear friends, my thanks are too dear a halfpenny. ~ William Shakespeare Better a living beggar than a buried emperor. ~ Jean de la Fontaine Related Quotes and Sayings : Borrowing| Debt | Gifts|

Beggary Proverbs and Their Meanings

Proverbs about beggars and begging turn up in every language, and they tend to teach two things at once: a hard truth about poverty, and a sharp comment on human nature. Some warn against pride, some against idleness, and some simply remind us that life itself is worth more than riches. Here are the best-known beggary proverbs explained.

• “Beggars can’t be choosers” — if you depend on what others are willing to give, you are in no position to be fussy; you must accept what you get.
• “If wishes were horses, then beggars would ride” (English) — wishing for something does not make it happen; if it did, even the poorest would have everything.
• “A beggar on his feet is worth more than an emperor in his grave” (French) — life, however humble, is more valuable than the grandest death.
• “Better a live beggar than a dead king” (Chinese) — the same truth: being poor and alive beats being powerful and dead.
• “Set a beggar on horseback, and he will ride a gallop” (Robert Burton) — people suddenly given wealth or power often abuse it or carry it to excess.
• “There is no pride like that of a beggar grown rich” (French) — those who rise from nothing are often the most arrogant about their new status.
• “A beggar will always be a beggar even if they give him the whole world” (Iranian) — a person’s habits and mindset often persist no matter how their fortunes change.
• “A bashful beggar has an empty wallet” (Hungarian) — if you are too timid to ask, you go without; boldness is what gets results.
• “The beggar who asks for crumbs gets more than the one who asks for bread” (Tamil) — a modest request is granted more readily than a large one.
• “Never beg from one who was a beggar” (Spanish) — those who clawed their way out of poverty are often the least generous to the poor.
• “A slothful man is a beggar’s brother” (Scottish) — laziness and poverty go hand in hand; idleness leads to want.
• “Borrowing is not much better than begging” (Lessing) — living on loans is uncomfortably close to living on charity.

For related sayings, see our money proverbs and work proverbs, or explore the full library of proverbs and their meanings.

Beggary Proverbs — Frequently Asked Questions

What does “beggars can’t be choosers” mean?

It means that when you depend on the generosity of others, you have to accept whatever you are offered and cannot demand something better.

What is the proverb “if wishes were horses”?

The full saying is “if wishes were horses, beggars would ride” — meaning that merely wishing for something achieves nothing; you have to act to make things happen.

What do proverbs say about a beggar’s pride?

Several note the irony of sudden fortune: “there is no pride like that of a beggar grown rich” and “set a beggar on horseback, and he will ride a gallop” both warn that new wealth often breeds arrogance.

What is a famous proverb about being a beggar?

“A beggar on his feet is worth more than an emperor in his grave” — a reminder that life and freedom, however humble, are worth more than the grandest death.