--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you dance with the devil, then you…" description: "\"“If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue, for you think you’ll change the devil, but the devil changes you.”\" — J.M. Smith" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b15/j-m-smith-99161_dance-with-the-devil_if-you-dance-with-the-devil-then-you-hav_2121375.jpg" --- # If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue… ![“If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue, for you think you’ll change the devil, but the devil changes you.” quote by J.M. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b15/j-m-smith-99161_dance-with-the-devil_if-you-dance-with-the-devil-then-you-hav_2121375.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b15/j-m-smith-99161_dance-with-the-devil_if-you-dance-with-the-devil-then-you-hav_2121375.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b15/j-m-smith-99161_dance-with-the-devil_if-you-dance-with-the-devil-then-you-hav_2121375.jpg) > ““If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue, for you think you’ll change the devil, but the devil changes you.”” J.M. Smith ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Engaging with evil changes you, not the evil; the devil influences you more than you think **In simple terms:** Dealing with darkness transforms you Key Takeaway Beware of trying to change evil without self-reflection Themes morality temptation self awareness change Mood cautionary reflective Type Change:1 Devil:1 Dance With The Devil:0 Dance Devil:0 Devil Devil:0 Devil Changes:1 Change Devil:0 When to use this quote - relationships - self-improvement - spiritual practice - counseling Key Concepts psychology ethics spirituality personal growth Questions to Reflect On - How does confronting evil affect you? - Can you remain unchanged? A Different Perspective Changing the devil may be impossible; focus on self change ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Change](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) [Dance With The Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dance-with-the-devil/) [Devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/devil/) ## Related quotes > [When you dance with the devil, the devil doesn't change. The devil changes you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-hocking/when-you-dance-with-the-devil-the-devil-doesn-t-change-the-devil/) [Amanda Hocking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-hocking/) > [When you dance with the devil, it might as well be a devil who can give you your own corner of hell to rule.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/when-you-dance-with-the-devil-it-might-as-well-be-a-devil-who-can/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“If you dance with the devil, the devil don't change, he changes you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jordan-roter/if-you-dance-with-the-devil-the-devil-don-t-change-he-changes-you/) Jordan Roter > [So when the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never, Because the dance with the devil might last you forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immortal-technique/so-when-the-devil-wants-to-dance-with-you-you-better-say-never/) [Immortal Technique](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immortal-technique/) > [“Sometimes in life there comes a time when one has to dance with the devil”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mwangala-kamwi-joshua/sometimes-in-life-there-comes-a-time-when-one-has-to-dance-with-the/) Mwangala kamwi joshua > [Dance with the Devil and he may make you the king of Hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/dance-with-the-devil-and-he-may-make-you-the-king-of-hell/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Have you ever wanted to dance with the devil in the pale moonlight?” Huh?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/have-you-ever-wanted-to-dance-with-the-devil-in-the-pale-moonlight-huh/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [You really are here. (Thanatos) Hair of the dog, baby. Sooner or later, we all dance with the devil. Tonight, it’s your turn. (Zarek)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/you-really-are-here-thanatos-hair-of-the-dog-baby-sooner-or-later-we/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [I'm Jewish. I've always had a thing where it's okay to dance with the devil, just don't become the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/i-m-jewish-i-ve-always-had-a-thing-where-it-s-okay-to-dance-with-the-2/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [It's hard to dance with the Devil on your back, So shake him off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-welch/it-s-hard-to-dance-with-the-devil-on-your-back-so-shake-him-off/) [Florence Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-welch/) > [“You gotta dance with the devil to get out of Hell.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamie-mcguire/you-gotta-dance-with-the-devil-to-get-out-of-hell/) [Jamie McGuire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamie-mcguire/) > [I'm Jewish. I've always had a thing where it's okay to dance with the devil, just don't become the devil. Even at my peak,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pauly-shore/i-m-jewish-i-ve-always-had-a-thing-where-it-s-okay-to-dance-with-the/) [Pauly Shore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pauly-shore/) > [So if the punks come here, they’re going to dance with the devil and get the short end of the horn. (Zarek) No one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/so-if-the-punks-come-here-they-re-going-to-dance-with-the-devil-and/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [The longer you dance with the devil, the longer you stay in hell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-longer-you-dance-with-the-devil-the-longer-you-stay-in-hell/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When the devil wants to dance with you, you better say never, because a dance with the devil might last you forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/levita-brahz/when-the-devil-wants-to-dance-with-you-you-better-say-never-because-a/) [Levita BRAHZ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/levita-brahz/) ## More by J.M. Smith > [“In each human heart are a tiger, a pig, an ass, and a nightingale. Diversity of character is due to their unequal activity.” Ambrose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-m-smith/in-each-human-heart-are-a-tiger-a-pig-an-ass-and-a-nightingale-2/) J.M. Smith Explore all 2 J.M. Smith quotes ## More Change quotes > [Only within yourself exists the other reality for which you long. I can give you nothing that has not already its being within yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hermann-hesse/only-within-yourself-exists-the-other-reality-for-which-you-long-i/) [Hermann Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hermann-hesse/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can't believe that I'm sitting in meetings with Steven Spielberg, Tom Hanks, and Annette Bening. I want to take on that responsibility to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-ross-williams/i-can-t-believe-that-i-m-sitting-in-meetings-with-steven-spielberg/) [Roger Ross Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-ross-williams/) > [“…progress isn't necessarily about change but about things turning out as we want them to”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-hogan/progress-isn-t-necessarily-about-change-but-about-things-turning-out/) Phil Hogan > [Nobody can tell me that no changes are necessary in Washington.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-weld/nobody-can-tell-me-that-no-changes-are-necessary-in-washington/) [William Weld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-weld/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [When you walk down the street of Kabul your values for life changes, they do change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marco-pierre-white/when-you-walk-down-the-street-of-kabul-your-values-for-life-changes/) [Marco Pierre White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marco-pierre-white/) > [Your world will change whether or not you choose to change, but you have the power to choose it's direction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/your-world-will-change-whether-or-not-you-choose-to-change-but-you/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [I hope I continue to evolve.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-flair/i-hope-i-continue-to-evolve/) [Charlotte Flair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-flair/) > [“Stay focused on bringing people together and more on positive messaging so that you can be the change you wish to see in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/germany-kent/stay-focused-on-bringing-people-together-and-more-on-positive/) [Germany Kent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/germany-kent/) > [The biggest change for me as a mom was realizing I needed to put someone else before me. Now the hardest part about the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kim-alexis/the-biggest-change-for-me-as-a-mom-was-realizing-i-needed-to-put/) [Kim Alexis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kim-alexis/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [You practice mindfulness, on the one hand, to be calm and peaceful. On the other hand, as you practice mindfulness and live a life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-practice-mindfulness-on-the-one-hand-to-be-calm-and-peaceful-on/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [No man can change himself into anything from sheer reason; he can only change into what he potentially is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-jung/no-man-can-change-himself-into-anything-from-sheer-reason-he-can-only/) [Carl Jung](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-jung/) [Browse all 33,920 Change quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/change/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“If you dance with the devil, then you haven’t got a clue, for you think you’ll change the devil, but the devil changes you.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "J.M. 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