The rich would have to eat money if the poor did not provide food.

Related:

• The rich would have to eat money, but luckily the poor provide food:
  Russian...
• If everyone gives one thread, the poor man will have a shirt.
  Russian...
• The rich worry over their money, the poor over their bread.
  Vietnamese...
• Eat the rich --
  the poor are tough and stringy...
• If the rich could hire someone else to die for them,
  the poor would make a wonderful living. Jewish...
• If work were good for you, the rich would leave none for the poor.
  Haitian...
• If rich, eat when you please. If poor,
  eat when you can...