it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God

English

Etymology

From the Gospel of Matthew, verse 19:24. Some assert that "camel" is a misinterpretation of a word meaning "rope" and others assert that the "Needle's Eye" was a gate in the walls of Jerusalem, but the evidence for each of these theories is contested, and the literal interpretation remains the most common.

Pronunciation

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Proverb

it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God

1. It is unlikely that the wealthy will go to heaven.

Translations

proverb

• German: eher geht ein Kamel durch ein Nadelöhr, als dass ein Reicher in das Reich Gottes gelangt (de)

• Norwegian:

  Bokmål: det er lettere for en kamel å gå gjennom et nåløye enn for en rik man å komme inn i Guds rike (nb)

• Russian: легче верблюду пройти сквозь игольное ушко, чем богачу войти в царствие небесное (ru) (légče verbljúdu projtí skvoz' igól'noje uškó, čem bogačú vojtí v cárstvije nebésnoje)

Related terms

• camel through the eye of a needle

References