A proverb meaning that honest people sometimes suffer or are taken advantage of; life (or people) can be unfair—'honesty doesn't pay'.
仕事でいつも正直に接してきたのに、結局は正直者が馬鹿を見る結果になった。
I always dealt honestly at work, but in the end honesty didn't pay off.
祖父は『正直者がバカを見るってこともあるが、正直であるべきだ』と言っていた。
My grandfather used to say, 'Sometimes honesty doesn't pay, but you should still be honest.'
こんな不公平なルールのもとでは、正直者が馬鹿を見るという意見が出るのも無理はない。
Under such unfair rules, it's no wonder people say that honesty doesn't pay.