--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise…" description: "\"I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels, but I would slave to learn the way, to sink your ship of fools.\" — Robert Hunter" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png" --- # I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels… ![“I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels, but I would slave to learn the way, to sink your ship of fools.” quote by Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png) > “I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels, but I would slave to learn the way, to sink your ship of fools.” [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The speaker rejects working for me wages, yet is willing to labor for knowledge, suggesting that learning is a higher reward than material gain. **In simple terms:** Will not work for low pay, but will work to learn. Key Takeaway Value learning over money. Themes knowledge learning materialism values Mood reflective motivational Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - career choices - education - skill acquisition - spiritual growth Key Concepts philosophy personal development Questions to Reflect On - What would you sacrifice for knowledge? - How can you integrate learning into daily work? A Different Perspective Learning may not always provide financial stability. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Gold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gold/) [Slave](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slave/) ## Related quotes > [“There may be humane masters, as there certainly are inhuman ones—there may be slaves well-clothed, well-fed, and happy, as there surely are those half-clad,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northup/there-may-be-humane-masters-as-there-certainly-are-inhuman-ones-there/) [Solomon Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-northup/) > [“let them behold him scourged, hunted, trampled on, and they will come back with another story in their mouths. Let them know the heart…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/solomon-northup/let-them-behold-him-scourged-hunted-trampled-on-and-they-will-come/) [Solomon Northup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/solomon-northup/) > [“If the first lesson every slave had to learn was to accept that their wishes did not matter, then the first lesson every master…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-roberts/if-the-first-lesson-every-slave-had-to-learn-was-to-accept-that-their/) [C.J. Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-roberts/) > [When greedy people are given gold, they are bitter that they haven't gotten jewels; when they are made barons they are resentful that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zicheng-hong/when-greedy-people-are-given-gold-they-are-bitter-that-they-haven-t/) [Zicheng Hong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zicheng-hong/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [You obviously don't know what an Old Man of the Sea great wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/you-obviously-don-t-know-what-an-old-man-of-the-sea-great-wealth-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/) Proverb > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Don't be doubtful to your goals or else you will end up your life as a beggar, keep faith on yourself and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/don-t-be-doubtful-to-your-goals-or-else-you-will-end-up-your-life-as/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) Peire Cardenal ## More by Robert Hunter > [The sky was yellow and the sun was blue...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/the-sky-was-yellow-and-the-sun-was-blue/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [When you get ready to vote, make sure you know what you are doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/when-you-get-ready-to-vote-make-sure-you-know-what-you-are-doing/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [At the top of the cycle you write policies for everybody, no matter how bad, and at the bottom you cancel everybody, no matter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/at-the-top-of-the-cycle-you-write-policies-for-everybody-no-matter/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Poised for flight, Wings spread bright, Spring from night into the Sun.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/poised-for-flight-wings-spread-bright-spring-from-night-into-the-sun/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [When it seems like the night will last forever, And there's nothing left to do but count the years, When the strings of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/when-it-seems-like-the-night-will-last-forever-and-there-s-nothing/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Ain't nobody messin' with you but you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/ain-t-nobody-messin-with-you-but-you/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [There are times when you get hit upon, Try hard but you cannot give. Other times you'd gladly part, With what you need to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/there-are-times-when-you-get-hit-upon-try-hard-but-you-cannot-give/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [In wickedness of pride is lost the light to understand how little grace is earned and how much given.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/in-wickedness-of-pride-is-lost-the-light-to-understand-how-little/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Being in a floodplain is like sitting down in a bathtub.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/being-in-a-floodplain-is-like-sitting-down-in-a-bathtub/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Stop thinking...The more you think, the faster you cut your own throat. What is there to think about? It always ends up the same…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/stop-thinking-the-more-you-think-the-faster-you-cut-your-own-throat/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [“There's a better way. There has to be education, and the education has to come from the poets and musicians, because it has to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/there-s-a-better-way-there-has-to-be-education-and-the-education-has/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Counting stars by candlelight all are dim but one is bright; the spiral light of Venus rising first and shining best, from the northwest…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/counting-stars-by-candlelight-all-are-dim-but-one-is-bright-the/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Driving that train, high on cocaine Casey Jones you'd better watch your speed Trouble ahead, trouble behind And you know that notion just crossed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/driving-that-train-high-on-cocaine-casey-jones-you-d-better-watch/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [Perhaps people don't come into their true maturity until a parent dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/perhaps-people-don-t-come-into-their-true-maturity-until-a-parent-dies/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) > [I feel I've got 10 books in me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/i-feel-i-ve-got-10-books-in-me/) [Robert Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) [Explore all 58 Robert Hunter quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/) ## More Beggar quotes > [If some beggar steals a bridle he'll be hung by a man who's stolen a horse. There's no surer justice in the world than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peire-cardenal/if-some-beggar-steals-a-bridle-he-ll-be-hung-by-a-man-who-s-stolen-a/) Peire Cardenal > [Literary tradition is full of lies about poverty-the jolly beggar, the poor but happy milkmaid, the wholesome diet of porridge, etc.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/literary-tradition-is-full-of-lies-about-poverty-the-jolly-beggar-the/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [“Why remain polite but powerless, in love but a beggar?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-thayer-hamann/why-remain-polite-but-powerless-in-love-but-a-beggar/) [Hilary Thayer Hamann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-thayer-hamann/) > [Don't be doubtful to your goals or else you will end up your life as a beggar, keep faith on yourself and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/athar-azeem/don-t-be-doubtful-to-your-goals-or-else-you-will-end-up-your-life-as/) [Athar Azeem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/athar-azeem/) > [Poets and beggars, musicians and prophets, warriors and scoundrels, all creatures of that unbridled reality, we have had to ask but little of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eduardo-galeano/poets-and-beggars-musicians-and-prophets-warriors-and-scoundrels-all/) [Eduardo Galeano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eduardo-galeano/) > [Beggars fear no rebellion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/proverb/beggars-fear-no-rebellion/) Proverb > [Hurrah for revolution and more cannon-shot! A beggar upon horseback lashes a beggar on foot. Hurrah for revolution and cannon come again! The beggars…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/hurrah-for-revolution-and-more-cannon-shot-a-beggar-upon-horseback/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [You obviously don't know what an Old Man of the Sea great wealth is. It is not a fat purse and time to spend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-a-heinlein/you-obviously-don-t-know-what-an-old-man-of-the-sea-great-wealth-is/) [Robert A. Heinlein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-a-heinlein/) > [Make of the Silence your to-do tasks, of the compassion your wealth and of the meditation your beggar's bowl.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guru-nanak/make-of-the-silence-your-to-do-tasks-of-the-compassion-your-wealth/) [Guru Nanak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guru-nanak/) > [Nobody but a beggar chooses to depend chiefly upon the benevolence of his fellow-citizens.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-smith/nobody-but-a-beggar-chooses-to-depend-chiefly-upon-the-benevolence-of/) [Adam Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-smith/) > [All religions have honored the beggar. For he proves that in a matter at the same time as prosaic and holy, banal and regenerative…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-benjamin/all-religions-have-honored-the-beggar-for-he-proves-that-in-a-matter/) [Walter Benjamin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-benjamin/) > [I'll not meddle with it. It makes a man a coward: a man cannot steal but it accuseth him; a man cannot swear but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-ll-not-meddle-with-it-it-makes-a-man-a-coward-a-man-cannot-steal/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A beggar through the world am I, From place to place I wander by. Fill up my pilgrim's scrip for me, For Christ's sweet…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-russell-lowell/a-beggar-through-the-world-am-i-from-place-to-place-i-wander-by-fill/) [James Russell Lowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-russell-lowell/) > [The bashful beggar has an empty purse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cranch-bond/the-bashful-beggar-has-an-empty-purse/) [William Cranch Bond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cranch-bond/) > [“A coin is examined, and only after careful deliberation, given to a beggar, whereas a child is flung out into the cosmic brutality without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-wessel-zapffe/a-coin-is-examined-and-only-after-careful-deliberation-given-to-a/) [Peter Wessel Zapffe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-wessel-zapffe/) Browse all 455 Beggar quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels, but I would slave to learn the way, to sink your ship of fools.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Robert Hunter" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise-gold-and-jewels-but-i-would/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beggar" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise-gold-and-jewels-but-i-would/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d2a/robert-hunter-11737_beggar_i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise_2249128.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I won't slave for beggar's pay, likewise gold and jewels, but I would slave to learn the way, to sink your…” — Robert Hunter", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Robert Hunter", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-hunter/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I won't slave for beggar's pay,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise-gold-and-jewels-but-i-would/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-hunter/i-won-t-slave-for-beggar-s-pay-likewise-gold-and-jewels-but-i-would/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```