# Proverb or quote about carrying extra money for the poor **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [June 22, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913 "2023-06-22T01:54:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 1:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/1 "2023-06-22T01:54:54Z")
There is a proverb or a quote that admonishes one to carry a little extra money in case you come upon someone who needs it. I have a vague idea it might be Indian. Without turning this Factual Question thread into a debate about whether or not to give beggars money, can anyone tell me the quote or proverb I’m thinking of? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/2 "2023-06-22T02:39:01Z")
The bible has several references that would verge on this. I don’t recall any quite like what you are asking for, but I don’t recall that many at all. **Proverbs 19:17** : “Whoever is generous to the poor lends to the Lord, and he will repay him for his deed.” ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/3 "2023-06-22T02:53:50Z")
In this age of tap and go, I’ve started carrying small cash for the express purpose of giving to poor people. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/4 "2023-06-22T13:02:07Z")
It’s implicit in the parable of the Good Samaritan, and a bit closer to the OP in the Old Testament (Deuteronomy), and referred to in the New (Mark): _If among you, one of your brothers should become poor, in any of your towns within your land that the Lord your God is giving you, you shall not harden your heart or shut your hand against your poor brother, but you shall open your hand to him and lend him sufficient for his need, whatever it may be … For the poor you will always have with you in the land. Therefore I command you, ‘You shall open wide your hand to your brother, to the needy and to the poor, in your land.’ (Deuteronomy 15:7-11)_ ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/5 "2023-06-22T13:15:16Z")
It seems to me that the OP is not just asking for proverbs or religious admonitions to give to the poor: Those are common in all cultures and religions. He’s asking specifically for one that says to carry extra cash, specifically for that purpose. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/6 "2023-06-22T13:20:11Z")
That is correct. I’m starting to wonder if instead of a quote or a proverb, it’s just something someone posted somewhere about what his/her parents said. ---
**Author:** ![Common\_Tater](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/common_tater/32/13846_2.png) [@Common\_Tater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Common_Tater)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/7 "2023-06-22T13:20:14Z")
It is handy if you get mugged by the poor to have an extra wallet with a few bills and cards in it, a “dummy” wallet, so you don’t have to give up your “real” wallet with the stack of Benjamins. I’m not well versed enough in Scripture to know if this is specifically covered by a parable or not. ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/8 "2023-06-22T19:12:39Z")
I’ve heard a Rabbi suggest that one carry several dollar bills to give to beggars, but that is hardly official to anyone save a Jewish Mother. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/9 "2023-06-22T19:44:39Z")
That sounds kind of like what I remember. Obviously, we know why he said that; but did he make it explicit? ---
**Author:** ![carnivorousplant](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnivorousplant/32/3563_2.png) [@carnivorousplant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnivorousplant)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2023, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/10 "2023-06-22T20:16:11Z")
No, it is just one of the things one is supposed to do to be a good person. ---
**Author:** ![fedman1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e495f1/32.png) [@fedman1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fedman1)\ **Post date:** [June 24, 2023, 8:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/proverb-or-quote-about-carrying-extra-money-for-the-poor/985913/11 "2023-06-24T08:51:05Z")
not close, but the Bible says when you reap your harvest leave some for the poor