This proverb highlights the various categories of people considered as vagabonds or outcasts in society. It differentiates between those who work honestly, those who steal to live (eating meat being a metaphor for theft), and the brigands who lead a life of crime. By mentioning these distinctions, the proverb sheds light on the moral judgments placed on different lifestyles. An equivalent English proverb might be: ‘There are honest workers, thieves, and bandits.’