--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For when men labor they keep out of…" description: "\"For when men labor they keep out of mischief. You remember the old proverb--An idle mind is the Devils workshop...\" — George Q Cannon" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/george-q-cannon-2-101578_idleness_for-when-men-labor-they-keep-out-of-misc_2730069.jpg" --- # For when men labor they keep out of mischief. You remember… ![“For when men labor they keep out of mischief. You remember the old proverb--An idle mind is the Devils workshop...” quote by George Q Cannon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/george-q-cannon-2-101578_idleness_for-when-men-labor-they-keep-out-of-misc_2730069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/george-q-cannon-2-101578_idleness_for-when-men-labor-they-keep-out-of-misc_2730069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/07b/george-q-cannon-2-101578_idleness_for-when-men-labor-they-keep-out-of-misc_2730069.jpg) > “For when men labor they keep out of mischief. You remember the old proverb--An idle mind is the Devils workshop...” George Q Cannon ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. An old proverb warns that idle minds become devil’s workshops; work keeps mischief at bay. **In simple terms:** Idle minds invite trouble; work prevents it. Key Takeaway Stay productively occupied. Themes work ethic idleness morality proverb self‑discipline Mood cautionary thoughtful Type Idleness:1 Psychology:0 Work ethic:1 Idle Mind:1 Men Labor:0 Labor Mischief:0 Proverb Idle:0 Mischief Remember:0 When to use this quote - employment - volunteer work - skill development - time management - community service Key Concepts danger of idleness moral vigilance productivity personal responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How do you fill idle moments constructively? - What risks come from too much work? A Different Perspective May oversimplify morality. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Idle Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idle-mind/) [Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) [Psychology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychology/) [Work ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work-ethic/) ## Related quotes > [“I think maybe it is true that the idle mind is the Devil's workshop.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-kingsolver/i-think-maybe-it-is-true-that-the-idle-mind-is-the-devil-s-workshop/) [Barbara Kingsolver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-kingsolver/) > [“Men can labor to make sense out of single steps toward the goal without ever pausing to reflect that the goal itself is ludicrous.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kenneth-galbraith/men-can-labor-to-make-sense-out-of-single-steps-toward-the-goal/) [John Kenneth Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kenneth-galbraith/) > [The presence of a body of well-instructed men, who have not to labor for their daily bread, is important to a degree which cannot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-darwin/the-presence-of-a-body-of-well-instructed-men-who-have-not-to-labor/) [Charles Darwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-darwin/) > [“The laboring man has not leisure for a true integrity day by day; he cannot afford to sustain the manliest relations to men; his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-laboring-man-has-not-leisure-for-a-true-integrity-day-by-day-he/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [There is no right more universal and more sacred, because lying so near the root of existence, than the right of men to their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-ward-beecher/there-is-no-right-more-universal-and-more-sacred-because-lying-so/) [Henry Ward Beecher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-ward-beecher/) > [ The creation of new capital always... releases... labor. Its actual effect \[though\] is not to make jobs scarce, but to free men's labor for… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-creation-of-new-capital-always-releases-labor-its-actual-effect/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [Men cannot labor on always. They must have recreation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orville-dewey/men-cannot-labor-on-always-they-must-have-recreation/) [Orville Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orville-dewey/) > [The Earth is given as a common for men to labor and live in.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/the-earth-is-given-as-a-common-for-men-to-labor-and-live-in/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [But men labor under a mistake. The better part of the man is soon plowed into the soil for compost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/but-men-labor-under-a-mistake-the-better-part-of-the-man-is-soon/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All men labor under some impingements on their freedom; none is absolutely at liberty.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-saunders/all-men-labor-under-some-impingements-on-their-freedom-none-is/) [George Saunders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-saunders/) > [Men cannot labor on always. They must have intervals of relaxation. They cannot sleep through these intervals. What are they to do? Why, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/orville-dewey/men-cannot-labor-on-always-they-must-have-intervals-of-relaxation/) [Orville Dewey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/orville-dewey/) > [An industrious farmer occupies a more dignified place in the scale of beings...than a lazy lounger...too proud to work, and drawing out a miserable…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/an-industrious-farmer-occupies-a-more-dignified-place-in-the-scale-of/) [Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/) > [If I'm alone too long I think too much, and I'm not interested in doing that. That won't lead anywhere good, I'm sure. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-marie-presley/if-i-m-alone-too-long-i-think-too-much-and-i-m-not-interested-in/) [Lisa Marie Presley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-marie-presley/) > [I never allow my mind to run dry of ideas like the ocean which never runs dry of water. An idle mind leads to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-matobo/i-never-allow-my-mind-to-run-dry-of-ideas-like-the-ocean-which-never/) [Frank Matobo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-matobo/) > [A sweet song cheers the heart, An idle mind burdens it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kingstyllez/a-sweet-song-cheers-the-heart-an-idle-mind-burdens-it/) [Kingstyllez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kingstyllez/) ## More by George Q Cannon > [Work quotes, Laziness quotes, Work Ethic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-q-cannon-2/work-quotes-laziness-quotes-work-ethic/) George Q Cannon Explore all 2 George Q Cannon quotes ## More Idleness quotes > [“Idleness is seductive. Just relax and do nothing, it says.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/idleness-is-seductive-just-relax-and-do-nothing-it-says/) [Innocent Mwatsikesimbe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/innocent-mwatsikesimbe/) > [“Virtue? A fig! 'Tis in ourselves that we are thus or thus. Our bodies are our gardens, to the which our wills are gardeners.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/virtue-a-fig-tis-in-ourselves-that-we-are-thus-or-thus-our-bodies-are/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [The frivolous work of polished idleness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mackintosh/the-frivolous-work-of-polished-idleness/) [James Mackintosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mackintosh/) > [We are more heavily taxed by our idleness, pride and folly than we are taxed by government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/we-are-more-heavily-taxed-by-our-idleness-pride-and-folly-than-we-are/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [“Doing nothing is the hardest torture that a person can put himself through. For he is always brought face to face with his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iwan-goll/doing-nothing-is-the-hardest-torture-that-a-person-can-put-himself/) [Iwan Goll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iwan-goll/) > [Inactivity and deprivation of all accustomed stimulus is not rest; it is a preparation for the tomb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/inactivity-and-deprivation-of-all-accustomed-stimulus-is-not-rest-it/) [Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/) > [“Liza had a finely developed sense of sin Idleness was a sin, and card playing, which was a kind of idleness to her. She…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/liza-had-a-finely-developed-sense-of-sin-idleness-was-a-sin-and-card/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [Idleness is paralysis.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roswell-dwight-hitchcock/idleness-is-paralysis/) [Roswell Dwight Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roswell-dwight-hitchcock/) > [The even mead, that erst brought sweetly forth The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, Conceives by idleness,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-even-mead-that-erst-brought-sweetly-forth-the-freckled-cowslip/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [There is a perennial nobleness, and even sacredness, in work. Were he never so benighted, forgetful of his high calling, there is always hope…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-carlyle/there-is-a-perennial-nobleness-and-even-sacredness-in-work-were-he/) [Thomas Carlyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-carlyle/) > [Great talents, by the rust of long disuse, Grow lethargic and shrink from what they were.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ovid/great-talents-by-the-rust-of-long-disuse-grow-lethargic-and-shrink/) [Ovid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ovid/) > [Far from idleness being the root of all evil, it is rather the only true good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soren-kierkegaard/far-from-idleness-being-the-root-of-all-evil-it-is-rather-the-only/) [Soren Kierkegaard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soren-kierkegaard/) > [“Reality has a tendency to reveal itself when man is idle, and so it is because of this that idleness is often regarded as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vd/reality-has-a-tendency-to-reveal-itself-when-man-is-idle-and-so-it-is/) VD > [Let us be grateful to Adam: he cut us out of the blessing of idleness and won for us the curse of labor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/let-us-be-grateful-to-adam-he-cut-us-out-of-the-blessing-of-idleness/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [If I gave my mother a knitted scarf she'd be worried I was wasting my time doing stupid stuff like knitting instead of school…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/if-i-gave-my-mother-a-knitted-scarf-she-d-be-worried-i-was-wasting-my/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) [Browse all 564 Idleness quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "For when men labor they keep out of mischief. 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