proverb · Source-linked selection
As he who has health is young, so he who owes nothing is rich.
As he who has health is young, so he who owes nothing is rich.
In print by 1893 AD · industrial
Recorded in a printed collection by this date; the original date of these words is still unknown.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying compares vitality with youth and freedom from obligations with wealth. It shifts attention from labels and possessions to conditions that can make life feel less burdened, without promising that health or debt determines anyone’s worth.
What the words are saying
Youth and riches usually name age and possessions, but the sentence assigns them figurative meanings. Health stands for the ability to enjoy or undertake things, while owing nothing stands for relief from an obligation. The comparison invites a broader view of what someone values in their circumstances. It should not erase the reality of age, disability or economic difficulty, nor imply that those conditions reflect poor character. People can find meaning and support in many situations. Read the proverb as an expression of appreciation for capacity and freedom from burdens, not a medical assessment or a prescription for financial decisions.
Everyday example
A person values a free afternoon after completing a promised task more than another unused possession.
When to use it
Use it to consider valued conditions beyond age or possessions.
Put a useful idea into practice: try the free seven-day guide ↗
What it does not mean
Health and obligations do not determine personal worth; this offers no medical or financial guidance.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional proverb
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- In print by 1893 AD · industrial
In print by 1893: recorded in Dictionary of Quotations (1893). Collection publication is an upper bound for this wording, not its earliest origin, composition date or the author's lifetime.
An author lifetime, approximate period or collection date is not necessarily the date when these words were first written or spoken. - Recorded source
- Dictionary of Quotations (1893) (1893 AD)
Printed citation: Pr. · page_019
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.