--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be sure that you give the poor the aid…" description: "\"“Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_alms_be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-t_2779030.jpg" --- # Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need… ![“Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_alms_be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-t_2779030.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_alms_be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-t_2779030.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/7ed/henry-david-thoreau-20_alms_be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-t_2779030.jpg) > ““Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need, though it be your example which leaves them far behind. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely abandon it to them.”” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote urges providing aid through personal example and direct involvement rather than merely giving money. **In simple terms:** Lead by example and engage personally in helping the poor. Key Takeaway Actively model the aid you wish to provide. Themes philanthropy leadership example poverty alleviation Mood inspirational ethical Type advisory philosophical When to use this quote - volunteering - community service - ethical investing - personal mentorship Key Concepts ethical giving social responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can you model aid in daily life? - What personal actions support those in need? A Different Perspective Direct involvement may be limited by resources. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Alms](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/alms/) [Charity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/charity/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ## Related quotes > [Be sure that you give the poor the aid they most need. If you give money, spend yourself with it, and do not merely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/be-sure-that-you-give-the-poor-the-aid-they-most-need-if-you-give/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Trade is the all-but-forgotten weapon in the battle against poverty, but it can provide more help to the poor than aid can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-n-haass/trade-is-the-all-but-forgotten-weapon-in-the-battle-against-poverty/) [Richard N. Haass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-n-haass/) > [Charity separates the rich from the poor; aid raises the needy and sets him on the same level with the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evita-peron/charity-separates-the-rich-from-the-poor-aid-raises-the-needy-and/) [Evita Peron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evita-peron/) > [The Haiti that has been waiting for help and not moving no longer exists. Enough handouts; we need hands up. Enough aid; we need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michel-martelly/the-haiti-that-has-been-waiting-for-help-and-not-moving-no-longer/) [Michel Martelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michel-martelly/) > [ \[T\]he sprawl of government into every conceivable realm of life has caused the withering of traditional institutions. Fathers become unnecessary if the government provides… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mona-charen/t-he-sprawl-of-government-into-every-conceivable-realm-of-life-has/) [Mona Charen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mona-charen/) > [If you give money, spend yourself with it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-you-give-money-spend-yourself-with-it/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [For me as an individual, it's important that I have a career as a role model for my children, that I earn my own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trinny-woodall/for-me-as-an-individual-it-s-important-that-i-have-a-career-as-a-role/) [Trinny Woodall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trinny-woodall/) > [“if i had much money to spend i would like to bought a books...if there's plenty more left i would bought a toys...if it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-i-had-much-money-to-spend-i-would-like-to-bought-a-books-if-there/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I make my own money , so I spend it how I like !](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-make-my-own-money-so-i-spend-it-how-i-like/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nobody thought about having more money than you could ever spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/slick-rick/nobody-thought-about-having-more-money-than-you-could-ever-spend/) [Slick Rick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/slick-rick/) > [Now that I have the access and money, I spend all of it on clothes and shoes. I have no other pursuits. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diljit-dosanjh/now-that-i-have-the-access-and-money-i-spend-all-of-it-on-clothes-and/) [Diljit Dosanjh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diljit-dosanjh/) > [Got so much money I cant spend this shit myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/webbie/got-so-much-money-i-cant-spend-this-shit-myself/) Webbie > [I very rarely shop. The only money I spend is on, like, Uber and food.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-brian/i-very-rarely-shop-the-only-money-i-spend-is-on-like-uber-and-food/) [Rich Brian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-brian/) > [We get a deal o' useless things about us, only because we've got the money to spend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/we-get-a-deal-o-useless-things-about-us-only-because-we-ve-got-the/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-setting-sun-is-reflected-from-the-windows-of-the-alms-house-as/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) [Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## More Alms quotes > [If you are to go to Christ, do not put on your good doings and feelings, or you will get nothing. Go in your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/if-you-are-to-go-to-christ-do-not-put-on-your-good-doings-and/) [Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/) > [In giving alms, let us rather look at the needs of the poor than his claim to your charity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-antoine-petit-senn/in-giving-alms-let-us-rather-look-at-the-needs-of-the-poor-than-his/) [Jean Antoine Petit-Senn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-antoine-petit-senn/) > [Those good men who take such pleasure in relieving the miserable for Christ's sake, would not have been less forward to minister onto Christ…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-atterbury/those-good-men-who-take-such-pleasure-in-relieving-the-miserable-for/) [Francis Atterbury](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-atterbury/) > [Work is love made visible. 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For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [The setting sun is reflected from the windows of the alms-house as brightly as from the rich man's abode.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-setting-sun-is-reflected-from-the-windows-of-the-alms-house-as/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I know that a man who shows me his wealth is like the beggar who shows me his poverty; they are both looking for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hecht/i-know-that-a-man-who-shows-me-his-wealth-is-like-the-beggar-who/) [Ben Hecht](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hecht/) > [“Pesa itolewe kwa masharti au bila masharti chukua, kwani huyo aliyeitoa si yake. Benki, kwa mfano, ikitaka kukupa mkopo itakuwa na masharti yake; chukua,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enock-maregesi/pesa-itolewe-kwa-masharti-au-bila-masharti-chukua-kwani-huyo/) [Enock Maregesi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enock-maregesi/) > [The best remedy for dryness of spirit, is to picture ourselves as beggars in the presence of God and the Saints, and like a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-neri/the-best-remedy-for-dryness-of-spirit-is-to-picture-ourselves-as/) [Philip Neri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-neri/) > [Walking does good to the fat and giving alms does good to the sinners; these both make one feel lighter!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/walking-does-good-to-the-fat-and-giving-alms-does-good-to-the-sinners/) [Mehmet Murat Ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Give a drink of water as alms to the birds which go forth at morning, and deem that they have a better right than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-ma-arri/give-a-drink-of-water-as-alms-to-the-birds-which-go-forth-at-morning/) [Al-Maʿarri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-ma-arri/) > [Where there is plenty, charity is a duty, not a courtesy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-feltham/where-there-is-plenty-charity-is-a-duty-not-a-courtesy/) [Owen Feltham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-feltham/) > [Are we not to pity and supply the poor, though they have no relation to us? 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