As covetousness is the root of all evil, so poverty is the worst of all snares.

Covetousness is the greatest of monsters, as well as the root of all evil.

Ignorance, the root and stem of all evil.

The lack of money is the root of all evil.

Poverty has many roots, but the tap root is ignorance

When workmen strive to do better than well, They do confound their skill in covetousness, And oftentimes excusing of a fault Doth make the fault the worse by the excuse, As patches set upon a little breach Discredit more in hiding of the fault Than did the fault before it was so patched.