"Homer himself must beg if he want means, and as by report sometimes he did "go from door to door and sing ballads, with a company of boys about him.""

"Set a beggar on horseback, and he will ride a gallop."

"Never stand begging for that which you have the power to earn."

"It is an affirmative command to give tzedaka to the poor of Israel. ... Anyone who sees a poor man begging alms and turns away his glance from him and does not give him tzedaka transgresses a negative command, as it is said, "You shall not harden your heart nor shut your hand to your needy brother" (Deuteronomy 15:7)."

"Be they wynners or loosers,…beggers should be no choosers."

"A shamefaced man makes a bad beggar."

"A man may be reputed an able man this year, and yet be a beggar the next; it is a misfortune that happens to many men, and his former reputation will signify nothing."

"Beggars are a sure indicator that there are no Christians, or else very few and dispirited ones, in any town in which beggars are seen."

"He once begged alms of a statue, and, when asked why he did so, replied, "To get practice in being refused.""

"Borgen ist nicht viel besser als betteln."

"Der wahre Bettler ist Doch einzig und allein der wahre König."

"My eye no longer wells up at the shame of those who beg; my hand became too hard for the trembling of filled hands. Where have the tears of my eye and the down of my heart gone? Oh loneliness of all bestowers! Oh muteness of all who shine! Many suns revolve in desolate space. To everything that is dark they speak with their light – to me they are mute. Oh this is the enmity of light toward that which shines; mercilessly it goes its orbit. Unjust in its deepest heart toward that which shines: cold toward suns – thus every sun goes. Like a storm the suns fly their orbit, that is their motion. They follow their inexorable will; that is their coldness. Oh it is you only, you dark ones, you nocturnal ones, who create warmth out of that which shines! Oh it is you only who drink milk and refreshment from the udders of light! Alas, ice surrounds me, my hand burns itself on iciness! Alas, there is thirst in me that yearns for your thirst!"

"Do not oppress the orphans and do not reject the beggars."

"The Gods have not ordained hunger to be our death: even to the well-fed man comes death in varied shape, The riches of the liberal never waste away, while he who will not give finds none to comfort him, The man with food in store who, when the needy comes in miserable case begging for bread to eat, Hardens his heart against him, when of old finds not one to comfort him. Bounteous is he who gives unto the beggar who comes to him in want of food, and the feeble, Success attends him in the shout of battle. He makes a friend of him in future troubles, No friend is he who to his friend and comrade who comes imploring food, will offer nothing. Let the rich satisfy the poor implorer, and bend his eye upon a longer pathway, Riches come now to one, now to another, and like the wheels of cars are ever rolling, The foolish man wins food with fruitless labour: that food – I speak the truth – shall be his ruin, He feeds no trusty friend, no man to love him. All guilt is he who eats with no partaker."

"Beggar that I am, I am even poor in thanks."

"Unless the old adage must be verified, That beggars mounted, run their horse to death."

"Well, whiles I am a beggar I will rail And say, there is no sin but to be rich; And being rich, my virtue then shall be To say, there is no vice but beggary."

"I see, Sir, you are liberal in offers: You taught me first to beg; and now, methinks, You teach me how a beggar should be answer'd."

"I'd just as soon be a beggar as king, And the reason I'll tell you for why; A king cannot swagger, nor drink like a beggar, Nor be half so happy as I. * * * * * Let the back and side go bare."

"Set a beggar on horse backe, they saie, and hee will neuer alight."

"To get thine ends, lay bashfulnesse aside; Who feares to aske, doth teach to be deny'd."

"Mieux vaut goujat debout qu'empereur enterré."

"A beggar through the world am I, From place to place I wander by. Fill up my pilgrim's scrip for me, For Christ's sweet sake and charity."

"A pampered menial drove me from the door."

"It is better for any of you to carry a load of firewood on his own back than to beg from someone else."

"Qui timide rogat, Docet negare."