Money is the root of all evil
Meaning: Excessive pursuit of wealth corrupts moral judgment and leads to harmful actions.
Origin: A misquotation of the Bible. 1 Timothy 6:10 says "the love of money is the root of all evil" — the fault lies in the craving, not in money itself. The shortened version drops the qualifier and turns a warning about greed into a condemnation of wealth.
More proverbs about Wisdom
- Ne'er cast a clout till May be out — Delay removing winter clothing until late spring arrives to avoid illness from unexpected…
- No bucks, no Buck Rogers — Without money or resources, you cannot afford luxuries or escape difficult circumstances…
- No guts, no glory — Without risk and courage, achievement remains impossible; safety guarantees nothing remar…
- Once a thief, always a thief — Criminal habits become ingrained character traits difficult to overcome through reformati…
- One bad apple can spoil the whole bunch — Corruption spreads contagiously; a single morally compromised person can undermine an ent…
- On the Internet, nobody knows you're a dog — Online anonymity removes social accountability, allowing anyone to misrepresent themselve…
From our idioms
- Die Katze im Sack kaufen — To buy something sight unseen and get cheated.
- Eine Extrawurst verlangen — To expect special treatment.
- Da kannst du Gift drauf nehmen — You can bet your life on it; it's absolutely certain.