Fleiß bringt Brot, Faulheit Not

Meaning: Hard work feeds you; laziness leads to poverty.

Literally: Diligence brings bread, laziness brings want

Example: “Steh auf und geh zur Arbeit. Fleiß bringt Brot, Faulheit Not.” — Get up and go to work: idleness is the mother of poverty.

Equivalents in English, French, Spanish, and Japanese

English: Sloth is the mother of poverty.
French: Paresse est mère de pauvreté (literally: Laziness is the mother of poverty)
Spanish: Pereza, llave de pobreza (literally: Sloth is the key of poverty)
Japanese: 稼ぐに追いつく貧乏なし (Kasegu ni oitsuku binbō nashi) (literally: No poverty can catch up with hard work)

Origin: The rhyme of Brot (bread) and Not (need) sets the two outcomes side by side.

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