Six of Pentacles
Alms
“Accumulation of wealth at one pole is, therefore, at the same time accumulation of misery … at the opposite pole.”
Capital, Volume I, Karl Marx
Six of Pentacles at a glance
Finbarre’s interpretation: The Six of Pentacles examines giving and receiving as relationships shaped by power, judgement and available resources.
| Upright | generosity, practical help, fair payment, receiving support, philanthropy |
|---|---|
| Reversed | strings attached, debt, inequality, performative generosity, exploitation |
| Linked card | Justice |
| Soundtrack | One Love by Bob Marley & The Wailers Open the full Tarot Interviews playlist on Spotify |
Upright meanings
- Generosity
- Practical help
- Fair payment
- Receiving support
- Philanthropy
- Resource sharing
- Repayment
- Mentorship
- Balanced exchange
- Using prosperity responsibly
Reversed meanings
- Strings attached
- Debt
- Inequality
- Performative generosity
- Exploitation
- Envy
- Giving to control
- Refusing fair payment
- Dependence
- Resources distributed unfairly
Six of Pentacles in a reading
| Area | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Love | Practical support: Resource sharing. Reversed: Envy. |
| Career | Work: Repayment; mentorship. Warning: Giving to control. |
| Money | Financial theme: Balanced exchange. Warning: Dependence. |
| Feelings | Upright: Fair payment. Reversed: Inequality. |
| Advice | Prioritise: Using prosperity responsibly. Watch for: Resources distributed unfairly. |
| Outcome | Potential: Philanthropy. Obstacle: Exploitation. |
| Yes or no | Yes, when the exchange is fair and transparent. |
Symbols in Six of Pentacles
| Symbol | Meaning |
|---|---|
| The scales | The giver decides what counts as proportionate or deserved. |
| The coins | Help is tangible and immediate rather than symbolic. |
| The kneeling figures | Need creates an unequal physical and social relationship. |
| The merchant's clothing | Generosity is made possible by prior possession and status. |
A. E. Waite's original description
A person in the guise of a merchant weighs money in a pair of scales and distributes it to the needy and distressed. It is a testimony to his own success in life, as well as to his goodness of heart.
Waite's original divinatory meanings
Upright:
Presents, gifts, gratification; another account says attention, vigilance, now is the accepted time, present prosperity, etc.
Reversed:
Desire, cupidity, envy, jealousy, illusion.
Source: A. E. Waite, The Pictorial Key to the Tarot, first published in 1910, with illustrations by Pamela Colman Smith.
Continue through the deck
- Previous card: Five of Pentacles
- Next card: Seven of Pentacles
Written and interpreted by Finbarre Snarey, tarot researcher, founder of the British Tarot Archive and coordinator of the UK living heritage submission for Rider-Waite-Smith tarot reading practice.
These interpretations reflect Finbarre Snarey’s understanding of contemporary Rider-Waite-Smith tarot practice. They are provided for education, reflection and entertainment only and should not be treated as medical, legal, financial, psychological or relationship advice.
