a fool and his money are soon parted

a fool and his money are soon parted

English

Proverb

a fool and his money are soon parted

1. It is easy to get money from foolish people.
2. It is difficult or unlikely that foolish people maintain their hold on acquired wealth.

Translations

it is easy to get money from foolish people

French: aux idiots l'argent file entre les doigts (Fools' money slips through their fingers), aux idiots l'argent brûle entre les doigts (Fools' money burns through their fingers)

Russian: у дурака́ в карма́не дыра́ (u duraká v karmáne dyrá) (fool's pocket has a hole)

it is difficult or unlikely that foolish people maintain their hold on acquired wealth

Kikuyu: warĩire athĩnirie waigire (one who had eaten bothered one who had stored)

See also

• nobody ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people
• there's a sucker born every minute

References

• Gregory Y. Titelman, Random House Dictionary of Popular Proverbs and Sayings, 1996, →ISBN, p. 103.