Debt is the worst kind of poverty.

The proverb presents owing money as a particularly harsh form of hardship. Even when someone has money coming in, repayments can leave little freedom to decide how to use it.

Its stark comparison warns that borrowing can trade immediate relief for a lasting burden. It expresses a judgment about the pressure of debt, not a rule that every loan is worse than every other hardship.

Use it to caution against taking on a debt that may be difficult to repay, or to emphasize how repayments can constrain someone who is already struggling. Its forceful wording suits a warning rather than neutral financial advice.