shrouds have no pockets

shrouds have no pockets

proverb A dead person cannot bring their material wealth or goods with them into the afterlife, so it is futile to hoard them while one is alive. (A shroud is a sheet wrapped around a dead body for burial.) Though he made a great deal of money, he was one of the most miserly, uncharitable people I ever knew. It just seems like such a waste now that he's dead, seeing as a shroud has no pockets. The preacher told us that shrouds have no pockets, so it is more important to seek spiritual wealth.

See also: have, no, pocket, shroud

Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. © 2024 Farlex, Inc, all rights reserved.

Shrouds have no pockets.

Prov. You cannot take any material goods with you when you die. You should use your money to enjoy yourself while you're alive. Shrouds have no pockets.

See also: have, no, pocket, Shroud

McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. © 2002 by The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc.