--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The wicked flee when none pursueth." description: "\"The wicked flee when none pursueth.\" — Charles Portis" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg" --- # The wicked flee when none pursueth. ![“The wicked flee when none pursueth.” quote by Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg) > “The wicked flee when none pursueth.” [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Evil flees when no one pursues it; danger diminishes without active threat. **In simple terms:** Evil retreats without pursuit. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant to prevent hidden threats. Themes danger avoidance courage perseverance morality Mood cautionary inspirational Type ethical strategic When to use this quote - law enforcement - personal safety - risk management - social activism - leadership Key Concepts philosophy psychology literature Questions to Reflect On - How does inaction empower wrongdoing? - When is pursuit necessary? A Different Perspective It may underestimate passive threats. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Flee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flee/) [Flee Pursueth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flee-pursueth-3616543/) [Wicked](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked/) [Wicked Flee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wicked-flee-1582307/) ## Related quotes > [The wicked flee when no man pursueth; but the righteous are bold as a lion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oluwole-john/the-wicked-flee-when-no-man-pursueth-but-the-righteous-are-bold-as-a/) [Oluwole John](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oluwole-john/) > [“I will go further and say all cats are wicked, though often useful”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-will-go-further-and-say-all-cats-are-wicked-though-often-useful/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [I had hated these ponies for the part they played in my father's death but now I realized the notion was fanciful, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-had-hated-these-ponies-for-the-part-they-played-in-my-father-s/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“While we pursue happiness, we flee from contentment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/while-we-pursue-happiness-we-flee-from-contentment/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/for-all-of-its-uncertainty-we-cannot-flee-the-future/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [And I have the others in me. Even when I’m far away from them, I am forced to live with them. Even when I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/and-i-have-the-others-in-me-even-when-i-m-far-away-from-them-i-am/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [If you desire the path of sincerity, develop a love for obscurity. Flee from the clatter and clinks of fame. Be like the roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-desire-the-path-of-sincerity-develop-a-love-for-obscurity-flee/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I once sent a dozen of my friends a telegram saying 'flee at once - all is discovered.' They all left town immediately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-once-sent-a-dozen-of-my-friends-a-telegram-saying-flee-at-once-all/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [When he pretends to flee, do not pursue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/when-he-pretends-to-flee-do-not-pursue/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [Out of the hills of Habersham, Down the valleys of Hall, I hurry amain to reach the plain; Run the rapid and leap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-lanier/out-of-the-hills-of-habersham-down-the-valleys-of-hall-i-hurry-amain/) [Sidney Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-lanier/) > [“Running’ is driven by panic. ‘Destination’ is driven by thought. And while it’s terribly painful to admit, incessantly pretending that I do the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/running-is-driven-by-panic-destination-is-driven-by-thought-and-while/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We must do something about the cross, and there’s only one of two things we can do- flee it or die upon it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-must-do-something-about-the-cross-and-there-s-only-one-of-two/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“The dark might be dark, but at least we don’t have to look at ourselves when we’re standing in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-dark-might-be-dark-but-at-least-we-don-t-have-to-look-at/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [“I’d like to run away, to flee from what I know, from what is mine, from what I love. I want to set off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-d-like-to-run-away-to-flee-from-what-i-know-from-what-is-mine-from/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/flee-an-enemy-who-knows-your-weakness/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) ## More by Charles Portis > [“Who is the best marshal they have?' The sheriff thought on it for a minute. He said, 'I would have to weigh that proposition.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/who-is-the-best-marshal-they-have-the-sheriff-thought-on-it-for-a/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [I always go backwards when I am backing up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-always-go-backwards-when-i-am-backing-up/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“Rooster said, "Fill your hand, you son of a bitch!" and he took the reins in his teeth and pulled the other saddle revolver…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/rooster-said-fill-your-hand-you-son-of-a-bitch-and-he-took-the-reins/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [Nothing I like to do pays well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/nothing-i-like-to-do-pays-well/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [I didn't care for beat reporting, covering the same thing day after day - short attention span.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-didn-t-care-for-beat-reporting-covering-the-same-thing-day-after/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“In South Texas I saw three interesting things. The first was a tiny girl, maybe ten years old, driving in a 1965 Cadillac. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/in-south-texas-i-saw-three-interesting-things-the-first-was-a-tiny/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“With that, Quincy brought the bowie knife down on Moon's cuffed hand and chopped off four fingers which flew up before my eyes like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/with-that-quincy-brought-the-bowie-knife-down-on-moon-s-cuffed-hand/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [My Master of Arts degree means nothing at all to these monkeys and I have come to share their indifference.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/my-master-of-arts-degree-means-nothing-at-all-to-these-monkeys-and-i/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [I would not put a thief in my mouth to steal my brains.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-would-not-put-a-thief-in-my-mouth-to-steal-my-brains/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [I had hated these ponies for the part they played in my father's death but now I realized the notion was fanciful, that it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-had-hated-these-ponies-for-the-part-they-played-in-my-father-s/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“I will go further and say all cats are wicked, though often useful”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/i-will-go-further-and-say-all-cats-are-wicked-though-often-useful/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“If I had received good instruction as a child I would be with my family today and at peace with my neighbors. I hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/if-i-had-received-good-instruction-as-a-child-i-would-be-with-my/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [“He drank even as he rode, which looked difficult. I cannot say it slowed him down any, but it did make him silly. Why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/he-drank-even-as-he-rode-which-looked-difficult-i-cannot-say-it/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [You must pay for everything in this world one way and another. There is nothing free except the Grace of God. You cannot earn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/you-must-pay-for-everything-in-this-world-one-way-and-another-there/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) > [It was old President Diaz who said that nothing ever happens in Mexico until it happens. Things rock along from day to day, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/it-was-old-president-diaz-who-said-that-nothing-ever-happens-in/) [Charles Portis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) [Explore all 63 Charles Portis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/) ## More Flee quotes > [Flee an enemy who knows your weakness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-corneille/flee-an-enemy-who-knows-your-weakness/) [Pierre Corneille](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-corneille/) > [“I’d like to run away, to flee from what I know, from what is mine, from what I love. I want to set off,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/i-d-like-to-run-away-to-flee-from-what-i-know-from-what-is-mine-from/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [“The dark might be dark, but at least we don’t have to look at ourselves when we’re standing in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/the-dark-might-be-dark-but-at-least-we-don-t-have-to-look-at/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [We must do something about the cross, and there’s only one of two things we can do- flee it or die upon it!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aiden-wilson-tozer/we-must-do-something-about-the-cross-and-there-s-only-one-of-two/) [Aiden Wilson Tozer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aiden-wilson-tozer/) > [“Running’ is driven by panic. ‘Destination’ is driven by thought. And while it’s terribly painful to admit, incessantly pretending that I do the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-d-lounsbrough/running-is-driven-by-panic-destination-is-driven-by-thought-and-while/) [Craig D. Lounsbrough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-d-lounsbrough/) > [Out of the hills of Habersham, Down the valleys of Hall, I hurry amain to reach the plain; Run the rapid and leap the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sidney-lanier/out-of-the-hills-of-habersham-down-the-valleys-of-hall-i-hurry-amain/) [Sidney Lanier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sidney-lanier/) > [When he pretends to flee, do not pursue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/when-he-pretends-to-flee-do-not-pursue/) [Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/) > [I once sent a dozen of my friends a telegram saying 'flee at once - all is discovered.' They all left town immediately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-once-sent-a-dozen-of-my-friends-a-telegram-saying-flee-at-once-all/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If you desire the path of sincerity, develop a love for obscurity. Flee from the clatter and clinks of fame. Be like the roots…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-desire-the-path-of-sincerity-develop-a-love-for-obscurity-flee/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [And I have the others in me. Even when I’m far away from them, I am forced to live with them. Even when I’m…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fernando-pessoa/and-i-have-the-others-in-me-even-when-i-m-far-away-from-them-i-am/) [Fernando Pessoa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fernando-pessoa/) > [For all of its uncertainty, we cannot flee the future.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-jordan/for-all-of-its-uncertainty-we-cannot-flee-the-future/) [Barbara Jordan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-jordan/) > [“While we pursue happiness, we flee from contentment”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/while-we-pursue-happiness-we-flee-from-contentment/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [In the end, perhaps it will be the true romantics, not the nerds, who choose to flee from a world of impersonal, digitized relationships…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-h-wilson/in-the-end-perhaps-it-will-be-the-true-romantics-not-the-nerds-who/) [Daniel H. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-h-wilson/) > [For even bold natures flee, whenever they see Hades close to life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sophocles/for-even-bold-natures-flee-whenever-they-see-hades-close-to-life/) [Sophocles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sophocles/) > [“It does no good to run. And it does no good to hide. But I know what it's like. Your brain shuts down, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-carey-peter-gross/it-does-no-good-to-run-and-it-does-no-good-to-hide-but-i-know-what-it/) [Mike Carey & Peter Gross](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-carey-peter-gross/) [Browse all 128 Flee quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flee/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The wicked flee when none pursueth.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Charles Portis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Flee" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/246/charles-portis-10753_wicked_the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth-12032_1203206.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The wicked flee when none pursueth.” — Charles Portis", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Charles Portis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-portis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The wicked flee when none pursueth.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-portis/the-wicked-flee-when-none-pursueth/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```