good scholars are seldom rich
A proverbial expression meaning that those devoted to scholarship often do not become wealthy. Used as a set phrase.
As the saying goes, good scholars are seldom rich; when you devote yourself to research, it's hard to save money.
A compound of 学者 (scholar) and 貧乏 (poverty). The exact origin is uncertain, but it reflects a traditional view that scholarly pursuits do not lead to material wealth.