This card is the natural follow-up to the Five of Pentacles. After the troubled times described in the Five of Pentacles, it is natural that, after learning the lessons and changing the situation for the better, one can develop the generosity to help those in need. The man on the card, obviously a well-off person, perhaps a merchant, is doing just that: distributing his wealth to those less fortunate. But notice that there is a pair of scales in his hand. He is not just giving away his possessions without any consideration. The scales are a clear indication that he is well aware that not everyone can or even should be helped. It is not only possessions that you can give; it is also time and energy, which can be well represented by the Six of Pentacles.
On the card
A well-dressed man in a red cloak stands in the centre of the card. In his left hand he holds a pair of balanced scales, and with his right hand he drops coins into the outstretched hand of a kneeling beggar. A second beggar kneels beside the first, hands raised, waiting his turn.
Six pentacles float in the air around the merchant, a sign of his wealth. Behind the figures is a plain landscape with a town or castle in the distance.
The scales are the most important symbol on the card. They show that the giving is measured and fair, that the man considers how much to give and to whom. Generosity here is guided by judgment rather than by impulse.
The composition also reveals the relationship of power between the figures. One stands while the others kneel; one gives while the others receive. This can be read as charity and kindness, but it also raises questions about dependence and the balance between giver and receiver. The card speaks of sharing resources, of help given and received, and of the flow of wealth that keeps a community in balance.
Upright
Charity, generosity, patronage, gifts, philanthropy.
Reversed
Avarice, miserliness, envy, theft, carelessness.