proverb · Legacy record
An honest man does not play dog for the sake of a bone.
An honest man does not play dog for the sake of a bone.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
An honest person refusing to act like a dog for a bone rejects degrading compliance for a reward. The saying connects integrity with resistance to manipulation.
What the words are saying
The animal comparison should not demean workers, people needing support or actual animals. A useful human reading asks whether a reward demands dishonesty or unwanted submission. Receiving pay or assistance does not itself remove integrity, and unequal circumstances should not be ignored.
Everyday example
Someone declines a reward that requires a false statement while seeking a fair alternative.
When to use it
Use it critically to discuss integrity and manipulative rewards.
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What it does not mean
No dishonour inherent in paid work or receiving assistance 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
Denmark
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 wisdom reference (2014 AD)
Supplied reference B; unit 741; PDF page 68; collection label: Denmark
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.
- Culture
- Denmark