Literal translation
who gives to the poor lends to God
Meaning
he who gives to the poor lends to God
Explanation
The saying, of religious inspiration, promises a divine reward, delayed but certain, to anyone who gives alms to the poor, presenting that gift as a loan for which God himself becomes the debtor. This assurance turns charity into an act both selfless in intention and rewarding in its spiritual scope, a common argument in popular preaching to encourage generosity toward the needy. The proverb matches almost exactly a French saying of the same origin, widely spread across western Christian culture, which makes it a piece of wisdom shared well beyond Provençal soil. The verb presta (to lend) and the noun doun (gift) closely liken the act of charity to a credit transaction, economic vocabulary applied to the spiritual realm to underline the certainty of its return. The saying is quoted in a moral or religious context, to justify or encourage an act of charity, in an elevated register close to a maxim.