Meanings
Origin
From the Gospel of Matthew, verse 19:24. Some assert that "camel" is a misinterpretation of a word meaning "rope" and others assert that the "Needle's Eye" was a gate in the walls of Jerusalem, but the evidence for each of these theories is contested, and the literal interpretation remains the most common.
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Arabic إِنَّ مُرُورَ جَمَل مِنْ ثَقْب إِبْرَةٍ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ غَنِيٌّ إِلَى مَلَكُوتِ اللهِ
- إِنَّ مُرُورَ جَمَل مِنْ ثَقْب إِبْرَةٍ أَيْسَرُ مِنْ أَنْ يَدْخُلَ غَنِيٌّ إِلَى مَلَكُوتِ اللهِ (ʔinna murūra jamal min ṯaqb ʔibratin ʔaysaru min ʔan yadḵula ḡaniyyun ʔilā malakūti llāhi)proverb
Chinese Mandarin 駱駝穿過針的眼，比財主進神的國還容易呢 /骆驼穿过针的眼, 比财主进神的国还容易呢
- 駱駝穿過針的眼，比財主進神的國還容易呢 /骆驼穿过针的眼proverb
- 比财主进神的国还容易呢 (Lùtuò chuān guò zhēn de yǎn, bǐ cáizhǔ jìn shén de guó hái róngyì ne)proverb
Danish det er lettere for en kamel at komme igennem et nåleøje end for en rig at komme ind i Guds rige
- det er lettere for en kamel at komme igennem et nåleøje end for en rig at komme ind i Guds rigeproverb
German eher geht ein Kamel durch ein Nadelöhr, als dass ein Reicher in das Reich Gottes gelangt
- eher geht ein Kamel durch ein Nadelöhr, als dass ein Reicher in das Reich Gottes gelangtproverb
Hindi सूई के नाके से ऊँट का निकलना इससे सहज है कि कोई धनी परमेश्वर के राज्य में प्रवेश करे
- सूई के नाके से ऊँट का निकलना इससे सहज है कि कोई धनी परमेश्वर के राज्य में प्रवेश करे (sūī ke nāke se ū̃ṭ kā nikalnā isse sahaj hai ki koī dhanī parmeśvar ke rājya mẽ praveś kare)proverb
Japanese 金持ちが神の国に入るよりは、らくだが針の穴を通る方が易しい
- 金持ちが神の国に入るよりは、らくだが針の穴を通る方が易しい (kamimochi ga kami no kuni ni hairu yori wa, rakuda ga hari no ana o tooru hō ga yasashii)proverb
Norwegian Bokmål det er lettere for en kamel å gå gjennom et nåløye enn for en rik man å komme inn i Guds rike
- det er lettere for en kamel å gå gjennom et nåløye enn for en rik man å komme inn i Guds rikeproverb
Polish łatwiej jest wielbłądowi przejść przez ucho igielne, niż bogatemu wejść do królestwa niebieskiego
- łatwiej jest wielbłądowi przejść przez ucho igielne, niż bogatemu wejść do królestwa niebieskiegoproverb
Portuguese é mais fácil passar um camelo pelo fundo de uma agulha do que entrar um rico no reino de Deus
- é mais fácil passar um camelo pelo fundo de uma agulha do que entrar um rico no reino de Deusproverb
Romanian este mai ușor să treacă o cămilă prin urechea acului decât să intre un bogat în Împărăția lui Dumnezeu
- este mai ușor să treacă o cămilă prin urechea acului decât să intre un bogat în Împărăția lui Dumnezeuproverb
Russian ле́гче верблю́ду пройти́ сквозь иго́льное ушко́, чем богачу́ войти́ в ца́рствие небе́сное
- ле́гче верблю́ду пройти́ сквозь иго́льное ушко́, чем богачу́ войти́ в ца́рствие небе́сное (léxče verbljúdu projtí skvozʹ igólʹnoje uškó, čem bogačú vojtí v cárstvije nebésnoje)proverb
Spanish es más fácil que un camello pase por el ojo de una aguja, que un rico entre en el reino de Dios
- es más fácil que un camello pase por el ojo de una aguja, que un rico entre en el reino de Diosproverb
Swedish det är lättare för en kamel att komma igenom ett nålsöga än för en rik att komma in i Guds rike
- det är lättare för en kamel att komma igenom ett nålsöga än för en rik att komma in i Guds rikeproverb
Cite this entry
it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20is%20easier%20for%20a%20camel%20to%20go%20through%20the%20eye%20of%20a%20needle%20than%20for%20a%20rich%20man%20to%20enter%20into%20the%20kingdom%20of%20God
“it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20is%20easier%20for%20a%20camel%20to%20go%20through%20the%20eye%20of%20a%20needle%20than%20for%20a%20rich%20man%20to%20enter%20into%20the%20kingdom%20of%20God. Accessed November 5, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/it%20is%20easier%20for%20a%20camel%20to%20go%20through%20the%20eye%20of%20a%20needle%20than%20for%20a%20rich%20man%20to%20enter%20into%20the%20kingdom%20of%20God.
Source: it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.