--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a…" description: "\"Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit.\" — Leo Tolstoy" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png" --- # Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit. ![“Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit.” quote by Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png) > “Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit.” [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Wealth can burden with material concerns, while poverty may free the spirit but brings hardship. **In simple terms:** Money can be a weight; lack can be liberating. Key Takeaway Seek balance between material comfort and inner freedom. Themes wealth poverty spirituality freedom Mood thoughtful balanced Type philosophical motivational When to use this quote - budgeting - philanthropy - mindfulness - career planning Key Concepts materialism psychology social class Questions to Reflect On - What does “light spirit” mean to you? - Can wealth and spiritual light coexist? A Different Perspective Wealth also brings opportunities for growth; poverty can cause suffering. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Light](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/light/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Poverty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poverty/) [Spirit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirit/) [Wealth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wealth/) ## Related quotes > [ For \[the\] quick in wit and light in manners be either seldom troubled or very soon weary, in carrying a very heavy purse. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ascham/for-the-quick-in-wit-and-light-in-manners-be-either-seldom-troubled/) [Roger Ascham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ascham/) > [Our eyes are at fault, that is all. God is in the manger, wealth in poverty, light in darkness, succor in abandonment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/our-eyes-are-at-fault-that-is-all-god-is-in-the-manger-wealth-in/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [Wealth brings noble opportunities, and competence is a proper object of pursuit; but wealth, and even competence, may be bought at too high a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-stillman-hillard/wealth-brings-noble-opportunities-and-competence-is-a-proper-object/) [George Stillman Hillard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-stillman-hillard/) > [Wealth brings strength, strength confidence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lothrop-motley/wealth-brings-strength-strength-confidence/) [John Lothrop Motley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lothrop-motley/) > [Those who love money will never have enough. How meaningless to think that wealth brings true happiness!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ecclesiastes-5-10/those-who-love-money-will-never-have-enough-how-meaningless-to-think/) Ecclesiastes 5:10 > [Wealth brings his ego, success comes along with pride, and your misfortune bring them to with you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mak-786/wealth-brings-his-ego-success-comes-along-with-pride-and-your/) Mak\_786 > [Wealth brings with it its own checks and balances. The basis of political economy is noninterference. The only safe rule is found in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/wealth-brings-with-it-its-own-checks-and-balances-the-basis-of/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [It is the experience of those who have tried it, that working from a sense of duty, working for the work's sake, working as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-thomas-hamblin/it-is-the-experience-of-those-who-have-tried-it-that-working-from-a/) [Henry Thomas Hamblin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-thomas-hamblin/) > [While, in general, life satisfaction goes up with wealth, beyond the safety net more and more wealth brings very radically diminishing returns on life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-jurvetson/while-in-general-life-satisfaction-goes-up-with-wealth-beyond-the/) [Steve Jurvetson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-jurvetson/) > [Wealth brings with it refinement, the spirit of conservation, while poverty inspires adventurous ideas, the desire to change things, and has little care for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jos-rizal/wealth-brings-with-it-refinement-the-spirit-of-conservation-while/) [Jose Rizal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jos-rizal/) > [“Great wealth is usually toxic to the well-being of children and family harmony. There is no evidence that people who have great wealth are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrick-dixon/great-wealth-is-usually-toxic-to-the-well-being-of-children-and/) [Patrick Dixon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patrick-dixon/) > [Wealth brings great benefits to the world. Rich people are heros.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/wealth-brings-great-benefits-to-the-world-rich-people-are-heros/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [For thy sweet love remember'd such wealth brings That then I scorn to change my state with kings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/for-thy-sweet-love-remember-d-such-wealth-brings-that-then-i-scorn-to/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [Where did that flashlight come from?" Chloe asked. "My purse." Chloe looked at Tara. "She carries a flashlight in her purse." "For emergencies," Maddie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-shalvis/where-did-that-flashlight-come-from-chloe-asked-my-purse-chloe-looked/) [Jill Shalvis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-shalvis/) > [A lean purse is easier to cure than to endure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-clason/a-lean-purse-is-easier-to-cure-than-to-endure/) [George S. Clason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-clason/) ## More by Leo Tolstoy > [These joys were so trifling as to be as imperceptible as grains of gold among the sand, and in moments of depression she saw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/these-joys-were-so-trifling-as-to-be-as-imperceptible-as-grains-of/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The only significance of life consists in helping to establish the kingdom of God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-only-significance-of-life-consists-in-helping-to-establish-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“I already love in you your beauty, but I am only beginning to love in you that which is eternal and ever precious –…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-already-love-in-you-your-beauty-but-i-am-only-beginning-to-love-in/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Energy rests upon love; and come as it will, there's no forcing it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/energy-rests-upon-love-and-come-as-it-will-there-s-no-forcing-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“If you only knew what those society women are, and women in general! My father is right. Selfish, vain, stupid, trivial in everything—that's what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/if-you-only-knew-what-those-society-women-are-and-women-in-general-my/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To evoke in oneself a feeling one has once experienced, and having evoked it in oneself, then by means of movements, lines, colors, sounds,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-evoke-in-oneself-a-feeling-one-has-once-experienced-and-having/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To speak of it would be giving importance to that which has none.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-speak-of-it-would-be-giving-importance-to-that-which-has-none/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Once we're thrown off our habitual paths, we think all is lost, but it's only here that the new and the good begins.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/once-we-re-thrown-off-our-habitual-paths-we-think-all-is-lost-but-it/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He knew she was there by the rapture and the terror that seized on his heart. She was standing talking to a lady at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-knew-she-was-there-by-the-rapture-and-the-terror-that-seized-on/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [Rest, nature, books, music...such is my idea of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/rest-nature-books-music-such-is-my-idea-of-happiness/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [“He was not to blame for being born with an irrepressible charachter and a mind some how constrained.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/he-was-not-to-blame-for-being-born-with-an-irrepressible-charachter/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [I ask one thing only: I ask for the right to hope, to suffer as I do. But if even that cannot be, command…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-ask-one-thing-only-i-ask-for-the-right-to-hope-to-suffer-as-i-do/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [The idea shared by many that life is a vale of tears is just as false as the idea shared by the great majority,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/the-idea-shared-by-many-that-life-is-a-vale-of-tears-is-just-as-false/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [To say that a work of art is good, but incomprehensible to the majority of men, is the same as saying of some kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/to-say-that-a-work-of-art-is-good-but-incomprehensible-to-the/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) > [True life is lived when tiny changes occur.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/true-life-is-lived-when-tiny-changes-occur/) [Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) [Explore all 1,754 Leo Tolstoy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/) ## More Heavy quotes > [In some circles where very heavy people think they have very heavy brains, words like "charming" and "clever" and "pretty" are all put-downs; all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-warhol/in-some-circles-where-very-heavy-people-think-they-have-very-heavy/) [Andy Warhol](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-warhol/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [Only two to three per cent of an audience is interested in words and pays attention to lyrics; most of the rest of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stewart/only-two-to-three-per-cent-of-an-audience-is-interested-in-words-and/) [Al Stewart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stewart/) > [Some things in this world just ain't meant to be, not in the times we want 'em to, and the heart has to hold…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mcbride/some-things-in-this-world-just-ain-t-meant-to-be-not-in-the-times-we/) [James McBride](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mcbride/) > [Since a camera is something too heavy for women and initially made for men, you need a good cameraman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitra-farahani/since-a-camera-is-something-too-heavy-for-women-and-initially-made/) Mitra Farahani > [He really is terribly heavy going. Like running up hill in roller skates.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-ayckbourn/he-really-is-terribly-heavy-going-like-running-up-hill-in-roller/) [Alan Ayckbourn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-ayckbourn/) > [Faith, like a guillotine. As heavy, as light.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-kafka/faith-like-a-guillotine-as-heavy-as-light/) [Franz Kafka](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-kafka/) > [If you played 'Heavy Rain,' there are very few cutscenes and very few moments where you don't have control.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cage/if-you-played-heavy-rain-there-are-very-few-cutscenes-and-very-few/) [David Cage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cage/) > [There have been times when a particularly heavy dose of such cynicism has caused me to reflect that surely this is the age and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-b-hinckley/there-have-been-times-when-a-particularly-heavy-dose-of-such-cynicism/) [Gordon B. Hinckley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-b-hinckley/) > [My mom is two people to me. She's my mom number one, and then she's this lady most comedians know as being a legendary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/my-mom-is-two-people-to-me-she-s-my-mom-number-one-and-then-she-s/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [She's the quiet type who's into heavy metal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-joel/she-s-the-quiet-type-who-s-into-heavy-metal/) [Billy Joel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-joel/) > [Jesus was the poorest of the poor. Roman Catholicism, which claims to be His church, is the richest of the rich, the wealthiest institution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/avro-manhattan/jesus-was-the-poorest-of-the-poor-roman-catholicism-which-claims-to/) [Avro Manhattan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/avro-manhattan/) > [I played Iris Murdoch, who had not long died, and I felt the responsibility very heavy on my shoulders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/judi-dench/i-played-iris-murdoch-who-had-not-long-died-and-i-felt-the/) [Judi Dench](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/judi-dench/) > [Fame is very heavy. When there are large crowds, I'm unable to handle it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-messner/fame-is-very-heavy-when-there-are-large-crowds-i-m-unable-to-handle-it/) [Reinhold Messner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-messner/) > [It's like when we get the transformer movies. It was all a bunch of smaller robot pieces and then you're on set, and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-nicotero/it-s-like-when-we-get-the-transformer-movies-it-was-all-a-bunch-of/) [Gregory Nicotero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-nicotero/) Browse all 2,502 Heavy quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Leo Tolstoy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-light-spirit/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Heavy" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-light-spirit/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/00b/leo-tolstoy-55_heavy_wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-li_530061.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty, a light spirit.” — Leo Tolstoy", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Leo Tolstoy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wealth brings a heavy purse; poverty,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-light-spirit/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/wealth-brings-a-heavy-purse-poverty-a-light-spirit/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```