A Fool and his money are soon parted: Daily Vocabulary

(TESOL Worksheets--Daily Vocabulary)

Youtube Video--Google: docs, pub--Slideshow (slides, pub),
(This is re-purposed from my lesson on proverbs).



Today's vocabulary is a proverb. A proverb is a wise saying which gives you advice on how to live your life. Today's proverb is: A fool and his money are soon parted. Now a fool is a stupid person, somebody who is not clever, not smart. It's a noun, so we can say a fool, as in he is a fool. It does have an adjective form, which is foolish, for example: he is a foolish man, but as a fool it is used as a noun and it is used as the subject of this proverb. Well, a fool and his money are the subject. The verb is parted. Parted means to separate something, so a fool and his money are separated. Notice that this proverb is in the passive--a fool and his money are soon parted by somebody or something.  We don't know. But somebody or something will part the fool and his money or a fool and his money are soon parted. Meaning: foolish people do not keep their money for long.
Here is an example: Sam never studied money or business before. But when his father died, Sam inherited all of his father's money. Almost immediately, people began calling Sam on the phone. All sorts of businessmen began telling Sam about business opportunities for his money. Sam listened to them all. Before he knew it, Sam's money had all disappeared. You know what they say: a fool and his money are soon parted.
So, let me know whether you agree or disagree with this proverb and also let me know if you have any similar proverbs in your language.