Is 'A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted' in the Bible?

Contributing Writer

Updated August 06, 2024

Common phrases like “A fool and his money are soon parted” offer good advice about money, and we sometimes assume they are in the Bible. It makes sense. Few topics have been the subject of more conversation, concentration, and consternation than money. For some, pursuing wealth is the ultimate goal in life. For others, money is hardly the measure of one’s worth. Human wisdom has much to say on the topic of money. So does the Bible. But does this famous phrase come from the Bible?

Is “A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted” in the Bible?

As a young man, I participated in a weekly small group at a local church. At one of our regular meetings, the pastor asked us to share some of the names and descriptions of God that we remember from the Bible.

Students responded with words such as “Provider,” “Rock,” “Savior,” and “the Good Shepherd.” When it was my turn, I offered the first word that came to mind: “the beholder.”

I’ll never forget the laugh that burst from the pastor’s mouth. “The beholder?” he asked incredulously.

“As in, ‘beauty is in the eye of the beholder’?” I replied unconvincingly, only to be met with more chuckles.

I was humiliated. How did I not know that “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” was not in the Bible? It sounds like wisdom straight out of the book of Proverbs, right?

Unfortunately, it is not. Like many people, I had confused a famous aphorism with biblical truth.

Some might argue that the heart behind my blunder was to convey what God revealed of Himself to the prophet Samuel: “For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart” (1 Samuel 16:7). There are similarities between these two phrases. However, the saying “beauty is in the eye of the beholder” is not found in the Bible, nor does it describe God’s character.

The Bible is filled with wisdom for all generations. Unfortunately, it is also widely misquoted and misapplied. False teachers will always distort the meaning of God’s Word to support their ideas and agenda. Others may confuse earthly wisdom for biblical truth. No matter the intention, we must be careful not to misrepresent, add to, or subtract from the living, eternal Word of God (Hebrews 4:12; Isaiah 40:8; Proverbs 30:5-6; see also Revelation 22:18-19).

The phrase “a fool and his money are soon parted” may offer insight into financial wisdom, stewardship, and thrift over unguarded spending and financial negligence. However, it is one of many common sayings that do not come from the Bible.

So where does it come from?

Where Does “A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted” Come From?

The phrase “a fool and his money are soon parted” is first attributed to Thomas Tusser (1524–1580), a 16th-century English poet and farmer who offered practical wisdom on the virtues of hard work, individualism, and thrift. Given his agricultural experience and deep understanding of rural living, Tusser’s proverbial wisdom and clever insights were quickly recited throughout England. His book Five Hundreth Pointes of Good Husbandrie to as Many of Good Huswifery (1573), an expansion of an earlier book, A Hundreth Good Pointes of Husbandrie (1557), was widely read by both laypeople and nobles, becoming one of the most influential pieces of agricultural writing in English literature.

In his second book, however, Tusser wrote, “a foole and his money be soone at debate: which after with sorrow repents him too late.”

That saying is far more poetic than the one often quoted today, but like many sayings, the language changed over time.

It is believed that John Bridges, an English bishop, adapted Tusser’s original quote in his book Defence of Government in Church of England (1587) to say, “a foole and his money soone parted.”

That axiom has gone through many iterations ever since, but the basic idea remains the same.

A foolish person is rarely a good steward of their money. Lacking financial wisdom, discipline, and discernment, they will spend on things they do not need, fail to save or invest in long-term gains, and be easily duped or manipulated by unscrupulous salesmen, lenders, or thieves. As a result, a fool will often see his money disappear, hence the saying, “A fool and his money are soon parted.”

What Verses Sound Similar to “A Fool and His Money Are Soon Parted”?

On the surface, the saying “a fool and his money are soon parted” does contain straightforward financial wisdom. But does this sentiment align with biblical wisdom?

As it turns out, there are Bible verses that mirror “a fool and his money are soon parted.”

Solomon’s wisdom is one of the first and best places to look. The Proverbs of Solomon contain some of the greatest insights on money and finances.

For example, in Proverbs 19:10, Solomon argues that “luxury is not fitting for a fool; much less for a slave to rule over princes.”

What did he mean by this?

For one, those who are unwise and undisciplined are often poor stewards of their money. Sadly, many people become poor, not because of bad luck or unplanned circumstances, but because of bad choices, poor planning, or laziness (see Proverbs 6:6-8, 6:10-11; 10:4; 24:33).

To be clear, I am not saying that poor people become poor because of sin, mistakes, or bad habits. Solomon is not arguing that, either.

However, money will not automatically enrich or save someone who is already foolish, undisciplined, and unwise with what they have been given. What did Jesus say in the Parable of the Unrighteous Steward? “He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much, and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much.” (Luke 16:10)

In other words, how many stories do we hear of people who suddenly win the lottery or come into a vast inheritance and blow it all in a matter of years? How many professional athletes who’ve earned millions eventually end up broke? How does this happen? There are many reasons. Unfortunately, those lacking financial wisdom, discipline, patience, and self-control will often lose money quicker than those who know how to save, invest, and avoid spending on foolish things.

Those who are unfaithful with little are often unprepared to manage money in great sums when it comes. As a result, “the fool and his money are soon parted.”

In Proverbs 13:18, Solomon also asserts that “poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline.” Financially, the unwise are often undisciplined when it comes to money.

What Does the Bible Say about Being Foolish with Money?

Solomon offers insights regarding the foolishness that leads to financial loss and ruin. Here are four examples:

“In all labor there is profit, but mere talk leads only to poverty” (Proverbs 14:23). The wise do more than talk about money. They work for it. They don’t stop with plans. They work to make those plans a reality. The foolish lose money when they do nothing with it. Not unlike the worthless servant in Christ’s Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25:14-30), the fool and his money are soon parted when they fail to steward or invest it properly. Accordingly, money that is buried or wasted does not grow. It is only lost, stolen, or devalued over time.
“He who tills his land will have plenty of bread, but he who pursues worthless things lacks sense” (Proverbs 12:11). The foolish spend their money on foolish things. It’s that simple. These things may provide short-term pleasure, but they lack long-term benefits. The undisciplined struggle to delay gratification shows in the way they approach money. They do not invest in the future; they spend only for the now.
“Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eaters of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags” (Proverbs 23:20-21). Addiction, in its many forms, has been the ruin of many throughout history. However, things like gambling, pornography, and substance abuse can also empty one’s wallet. “He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; he who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” (Proverbs 21:17). It’s not just what these things do to the body, soul, and relationships. It’s also what they do to our finances.
“Dishonest money dwindles away, but whoever gathers money little by little makes it grow” (Proverbs 13:11). While there are some stories of people who become incredibly rich overnight, the majority of “rags-to-riches” tales involve financially savvy and patient people who become rich over time. They are patient with their money, allowing it to appreciate over time. In contrast, those looking to “get rich quick” often make imprudent or rash decisions that may prove disastrous.

What Does the Bible Say about Being Wise with Money?

While it is true that “a fool and his money are soon parted,” the Bible also has a lot to say about financial wisdom that we should all take to heart.

Let the following verses guide you, not in your pursuit of great wealth, but in your desire to be wise stewards of the time, money, and resources God has given you:

“Honor the Lord from your wealth and the first of all your produce.” (Proverbs 3:9)
“‘Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,’ says the Lord of hosts, ‘if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows.’” (Malachi 3:10)
“Make sure that your character is free from the love of money, being content with what you have; for He has said, ‘I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you.’” (Hebrews 13:5)
“For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.” (1 Timothy 6:10-11)
“Ill-gotten gains do not profit, but righteousness delivers from death.” (Proverbs 10:2)
“For which one of you, when he wants to build a tower, does not first sit down and calculate the cost to see if he has enough to complete it?” (Luke 14:28)
“But you shall remember the Lord your God, for it is He who is giving you the power to make wealth, that He may confirm His covenant which He swore to your fathers, as it is this day.” (Deuteronomy 8:18)
“Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy.” (1 Timothy 6:17)
“A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” (Proverbs 13:22)
“Now this I say, he who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.” (2 Corinthians 9:6)

Joel Ryan is an author, writing professor, and contributing writer for Salem Web Network and Lifeway. When he’s not writing stories and defending biblical truth, Joel is committed to helping young men find purpose in Christ and become fearless disciples and bold leaders in their homes, in the church, and in the world.

This article is part of our larger resource library of popular Bible verse phrases and quotes. We want to provide easy-to-read articles that answer your questions about the meaning, origin, and history of specific verses within Scripture's context. We hope that these will help you better understand the meaning and purpose of God's Word in your life today.