O hateful harm, condicion of poverte!
With thurst, with coold, with hunger so confoundid!
To asken help thee shameth in thyn herte;
If thou noon aske, with nede artow so woundid
That verray nede unwrappeth al thy wounde hid!
Maugree thyn heed, thou most for indigence
Or stele, or begge, or borwe thy despence!
– Geoffrey Chaucer
The Canterbury Tales, The Man of Law’s Prologue. The Man of Law laments the condition of poverty. It causes distress by thirst, cold and hunger and makes you ashamed to ask for help. It also drives you to beg, steal or borrow for money.