Desert and reward seldom keep company.

People do not always receive rewards in proportion to what they deserve. Effort or good conduct may go unrecognized, while benefits may fall to someone less deserving.

The proverb treats this mismatch as a recurring feature of life, not merely an exceptional injustice. It expresses skepticism that rewards reliably reflect merit.

Use it to comment on a gap between someone’s merits and the recognition or benefits they receive. It can convey disappointment on behalf of a deserving person or criticism of how rewards have been distributed.