--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ordinary riches can be stolen; real…" description: "\"Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.\" — Oscar Wilde" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/oscar-wilde-16_money_ordinary-riches-can-be-stolen-real-riche_2306854.jpg" --- # Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your… ![“Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” quote by Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/oscar-wilde-16_money_ordinary-riches-can-be-stolen-real-riche_2306854.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/oscar-wilde-16_money_ordinary-riches-can-be-stolen-real-riche_2306854.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/740/oscar-wilde-16_money_ordinary-riches-can-be-stolen-real-riche_2306854.jpg) > “Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you.” [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Material wealth can be taken, but inner virtues and spiritual riches are untouchable. **In simple terms:** Inner wealth is untouchable. Key Takeaway Cultivate inner values. Themes spirituality materialism inner wealth Mood reflective philosophical Type ethical motivational When to use this quote - personal growth - financial loss - ethical decisions Key Concepts impermanence self‑worth Questions to Reflect On - How do you protect inner wealth? - What practices nurture spiritual riches? A Different Perspective Material loss can still cause distress. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Precious things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/precious-things/) [Riches](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/riches/) [Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/soul/) [Spirituality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/spirituality/) ## Related quotes > [“Ordinary riches can be stolen, real riches cannot.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/merrill-gemus/ordinary-riches-can-be-stolen-real-riches-cannot/) Merrill Gemus > [Real riches are the riches possessed inside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-c-forbes/real-riches-are-the-riches-possessed-inside/) [B. C. Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-c-forbes/) > [A propensity to hope and joy is real riches; one to fear and sorrow real poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/a-propensity-to-hope-and-joy-is-real-riches-one-to-fear-and-sorrow/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But ever since, more than a year before, discovering to him many of the riches of his own soul, the love of music had,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-proust/but-ever-since-more-than-a-year-before-discovering-to-him-many-of-the/) [Marcel Proust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-proust/) > [The riches of the soul are stored up in its memory. this is the test of character, not whether a man follows the daily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-joshua-heschel/the-riches-of-the-soul-are-stored-up-in-its-memory-this-is-the-test/) [Abraham Joshua Heschel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-joshua-heschel/) > [Riches can be stolen-not richness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rishi-prabhakar/riches-can-be-stolen-not-richness/) Rishi Prabhakar > [The values and the relationships of the people I love around me are my real riches. That's my lasting wealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-sanders/the-values-and-the-relationships-of-the-people-i-love-around-me-are/) Larry Sanders > [“In your soul are infinitely precious things that cannot be taken from you”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/in-your-soul-are-infinitely-precious-things-that-cannot-be-taken-from/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [You know I have loved him always. But we are very poor. Who, being loved, is poor? Oh, no one. I hate my riches.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/you-know-i-have-loved-him-always-but-we-are-very-poor-who-being-loved/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I have neither silver nor gold, but I bring with me the most precious thing given to me: Jesus Christ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/i-have-neither-silver-nor-gold-but-i-bring-with-me-the-most-precious/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [Love - true love - is a precious thing. It is painful, uncomfortable, makes fools of us all, but it is what breathes meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-mosse/love-true-love-is-a-precious-thing-it-is-painful-uncomfortable-makes/) [Kate Mosse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-mosse/) > [Who can now deny the loss of natural light, of skin tones, of real place, and common but precious things in our movies, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-jay-epstein/who-can-now-deny-the-loss-of-natural-light-of-skin-tones-of-real/) [Edward Jay Epstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-jay-epstein/) > [The most precious thing in the world: me, because if there was no me, nothing could work out in this world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-heechul/the-most-precious-thing-in-the-world-me-because-if-there-was-no-me/) [Kim Heechul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-heechul/) > [You think if you work hard enough, you can fix the precious things you've broken - rather than being careful with them in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guillermo-del-toro/you-think-if-you-work-hard-enough-you-can-fix-the-precious-things-you/) [Guillermo del Toro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guillermo-del-toro/) > [How can I set free anyone who doesn't have the guts to stand up alone and declare his own freedom? I think it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-morrison/how-can-i-set-free-anyone-who-doesn-t-have-the-guts-to-stand-up-alone/) [Jim Morrison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-morrison/) ## More by Oscar Wilde > [How else but through a broken heart may Lord Christ enter in?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/how-else-but-through-a-broken-heart-may-lord-christ-enter-in/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [The books that the world calls immoral are the books that show the world its own shame.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/the-books-that-the-world-calls-immoral-are-the-books-that-show-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Bachelors should be heavily taxed. It is not fair that some men should be happier than others](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/bachelors-should-be-heavily-taxed-it-is-not-fair-that-some-men-should/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Who, being loved, is poor?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/who-being-loved-is-poor/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Basil my dear boy puts everything that is charming in him into his work. The consequence is that he has nothing left for life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/basil-my-dear-boy-puts-everything-that-is-charming-in-him-into-his/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Anybody can be good in the country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/anybody-can-be-good-in-the-country/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [I don't at all like knowing what people say of me behind my back. It makes me far too conceited.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/i-don-t-at-all-like-knowing-what-people-say-of-me-behind-my-back-it/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Alles Populäre ist falsch.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/alles-popul-re-ist-falsch/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“If these elements of beauty are real, the whole thing simply appeals to our sense of dramatic effect. Suddenly we find that we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/if-these-elements-of-beauty-are-real-the-whole-thing-simply-appeals/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [To love one's self is the beginning of a life-long romance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/to-love-one-s-self-is-the-beginning-of-a-life-long-romance/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [“Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful things are the cultivated. For these there is hope.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/those-who-find-beautiful-meanings-in-beautiful-things-are-the/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Men always want to be a womans first love. Women have a more subtle instinct: What they like is to be a mans last…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/men-always-want-to-be-a-womans-first-love-women-have-a-more-subtle/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Why is it that at a bachelor's establishment the servants invariably drink the champagne.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/why-is-it-that-at-a-bachelor-s-establishment-the-servants-invariably/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Moderation is a fatal thing. Enough is as bad as a meal. More than enough is as good as a feast.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/moderation-is-a-fatal-thing-enough-is-as-bad-as-a-meal-more-than/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) > [Beauty is the only thing that time cannot harm. Philosophies fall away like sand, creeds follow one another, but what is beautiful is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oscar-wilde/beauty-is-the-only-thing-that-time-cannot-harm-philosophies-fall-away/) [Oscar Wilde](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) [Explore all 3,343 Oscar Wilde quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oscar-wilde/) ## More Money quotes > [You've got to tell your money what to do or it will leave.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-ramsey/you-ve-got-to-tell-your-money-what-to-do-or-it-will-leave/) [Dave Ramsey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-ramsey/) > [Don't let's lose sight of what creates wealth. It is open markets, it is capitalism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/don-t-let-s-lose-sight-of-what-creates-wealth-it-is-open-markets-it/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [If I had a dollar for every time I couldn’t sleep, I could buy a billion locks and finally read a book in peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aesop-rock/if-i-had-a-dollar-for-every-time-i-couldn-t-sleep-i-could-buy-a/) [Aesop Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aesop-rock/) > [Money is the kind of instrument which is very speedily produced.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anatoly-chubais/money-is-the-kind-of-instrument-which-is-very-speedily-produced/) [Anatoly Chubais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anatoly-chubais/) > [I would borrow money all day long, if the cost of borrowing is less than the expected return.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brad-schneider/i-would-borrow-money-all-day-long-if-the-cost-of-borrowing-is-less/) [Brad Schneider](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brad-schneider/) > [If you restore a car, and you're making money, then you're doing it wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-leno/if-you-restore-a-car-and-you-re-making-money-then-you-re-doing-it/) [Jay Leno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-leno/) > [Maybe you can,t buy a big house.. A new car.. A huge diamond ring.. But if you have just one true friend who loves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cathy/maybe-you-can-t-buy-a-big-house-a-new-car-a-huge-diamond-ring-but-if/) Cathy > [“Don't allow money to become the yardstick by which you measure the worth of the world around you!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-james-pritchard/don-t-allow-money-to-become-the-yardstick-by-which-you-measure-the/) [Andrew James Pritchard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-james-pritchard/) > [Academically, I was never that interested. I skipped classes. My biggest dream was to have a coffee shop, but I had no idea how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-espinosa/academically-i-was-never-that-interested-i-skipped-classes-my-biggest/) [Daniel Espinosa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-espinosa/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [I doubt that we Americans can come to terms with our money neuroses without understanding the more florid pathology of the very rich for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-slater/i-doubt-that-we-americans-can-come-to-terms-with-our-money-neuroses/) [Philip Slater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-slater/) > [“The writer must earn money in order to be able to live and to write, but he must by no means live and write…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goins/the-writer-must-earn-money-in-order-to-be-able-to-live-and-to-write/) [Jeff Goins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goins/) > [Jobs and money are never the primary cause of stress. Thinking, negative thinking causes stress. The real cause of all problems lie in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-proctor/jobs-and-money-are-never-the-primary-cause-of-stress-thinking/) [Bob Proctor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-proctor/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [The man who works for the gold in the job rather than for the money in the pay envelope, is the fellow who gets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-french-johnson/the-man-who-works-for-the-gold-in-the-job-rather-than-for-the-money/) Joseph French Johnson [Browse all 45,172 Money quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ordinary riches can be stolen; real riches cannot. 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