They who have money are troubled about it, And they who have none are troubled without it.

Understand the thought

Meaning in plain English

Having money and lacking it can bring different worries. The saying recognises concerns on both sides, without claiming that they are equally severe or that material hardship is merely another form of ordinary inconvenience.

What the words are saying

The paired clauses place concern about possessions beside concern about their absence. Someone who has resources may worry about managing, protecting or using them; someone without enough may face an immediate unmet need. The proverb presents neither condition as a guarantee of calm. Its symmetry should not hide important differences in consequences, choices and available support. Difficulty meeting necessities cannot fairly be equated with deciding how to manage an excess. The useful reading asks which particular concern is present and what would address it, rather than assuming that money makes every worry disappear or that all money-related worries deserve the same response.

Everyday example

In a play, one character worries about organising an inherited estate while another worries about paying for a necessary journey; the dialogue keeps their different stakes clear.

When to use it

Use it when distinguishing different concerns associated with having resources and needing them.

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Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.