Gold goes in at any gate, except Heaven's.
Meaning: Wealth opens worldly doors but cannot purchase spiritual salvation or divine favor.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- The gown is hers who wears it, and the world is his who enjoys it. — Possession belongs to those who actively use something, not merely own it formally.
- While the grass grows the steed starves. — Delay in acting allows opportunities to slip away while waiting for ideal conditions that…
- Grass grows not upon the highway. — Constant traffic wears away growth; neglected paths flourish while heavily used routes re…
- There would be no great ones if there were no little. — Greatness requires a foundation of ordinary people and humble tasks to build upon and ele…
- A great ship needs deep waters. — Significant ambitions require sufficient resources and circumstances to achieve their ful…
- A green wound is soon healed. — Fresh injuries recover quickly; delay in treatment makes wounds harder to mend.
From our idioms
- alle corde — In a desperate or losing position, cornered.
- mela marcia — A person who is corrupt or morally bad and whose influence damages those around them.
- toccare il fondo — To reach the lowest point of degradation or despair; to hit rock bottom.