proverb · Words worth keeping
A good paymaster never wants workmen.
A good paymaster never wants workmen.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying gives a good paymaster no shortage of workers. It connects reliable compensation with willingness to work for someone.
What the words are saying
Never makes the relationship sound certain. A qualified interpretation can discuss fairness and reliability while recognising that working conditions, skills and circumstances also matter. The phrase does not verify a labour-market rule or promise suitable workers merely because payment is offered.
Everyday example
An organiser clarifies fair terms and the task’s conditions rather than assuming pay alone settles participation.
When to use it
Use it to discuss compensation as one part of a working arrangement.
What it does not mean
No guaranteed recruitment outcome or labour-market relationship is established.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 334; PDF page 51
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.