wes Brot ich ess, des Lied ich sing
German
editEtymology
editLiterally, “whose bread I eat, their song I sing”. Compare Dutch wiens brood men eet, diens woord men spreekt.
Pronunciation
editProverb
editwes Brot ich ess, des Lied ich sing
- people tend to side with whoever pays them; people put personal needs or advantages above convictions
Usage notes
edit- May overlap with English who pays the piper calls the tune, but only when this latter is used in a resigning or critical tone. The German proverb can never be used to assert an assumed right of the payer.