Who said “Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much…”?

Misattributed

Not Doris Lessing. It's commonly credited to them, but the evidence shows it isn't theirs.

What the research foundListed as misattributed to Doris Lessing; no source in their known works.

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“Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing.”
— Doris Lessing
MisattributedListed as misattributed to Doris Lessing; no source in their known works. · evidenceBorrowing

Cite this quote

APA

“Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing.” [Quotation attributed to Doris Lessing]. (n.d.). Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8731-borrowing-is-not-much-better-than-begging-just/

MLA

“Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing.” Attributed to Doris Lessing. Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8731-borrowing-is-not-much-better-than-begging-just/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

“Borrowing is not much better than begging; just as lending with interest is not much better than stealing.” Attributed to Doris Lessing. Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/8731-borrowing-is-not-much-better-than-begging-just/.

Related quotes

“Let us all be happy and live within our means, even if we have to borrer [sic] money to do it with.”
— Artemus Ward
VerifiedScience and Natural History, Letter VII to Punch, part of the Artemus Ward in London series (22 October 1866). · evidenceDetails & citeBorrowing

More quotes by Doris Lessing

“If a fish is the movement of water embodied, given shape, then cat is a diagram and pattern of subtle air.”
VerifiedParticularly Cats, ch. 2 (1967) · evidenceDetails & citeCats
All 21 Doris Lessing quotes →