--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The Evil One has left, the evil ones…" description: "\"The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.\" — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg" --- # The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain. ![“The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.” quote by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg) > “The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.” [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Even when a great evil departs, lesser evils persist and must be addressed. **In simple terms:** Evil remains after the worst is gone. Key Takeaway Confront remaining wrongs. Themes ethics human nature conflict Mood serious thoughtful Type dramatic philosophical When to use this quote - political reform - personal accountability - social justice - environmental activism Key Concepts theology morality Questions to Reflect On - What hidden evils do you see? - How can you act against lingering wrongs? A Different Perspective Not all evils are obvious; some are systemic. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-left-1139285/) [Evil Ones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-ones-523877/) [Funny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Left Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left-evil-4287030/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Ones Remain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ones-remain-624587/) ## Related quotes > [ The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain. \[Ger., Den Bosen sind sie los, die Bosen sind geblieben.\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-remain-ger-den-bosen-sind-sie-los/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [“Nothing is different here and now than it used to be: The people whom I need most are gone, and the ones who remain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-winn-scotch/nothing-is-different-here-and-now-than-it-used-to-be-the-people-whom/) [Allison Winn Scotch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-winn-scotch/) > [“When it comes to fighting evil, the left is almost pacifist.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dennis-prager/when-it-comes-to-fighting-evil-the-left-is-almost-pacifist/) [Dennis Prager](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dennis-prager/) > [Somewhere down the line, the evil ones stole the legacy of hip hop and flipped it to a corporate type of hip hop. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/afrika-bambaataa/somewhere-down-the-line-the-evil-ones-stole-the-legacy-of-hip-hop-and/) [Afrika Bambaataa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/afrika-bambaataa/) > [There's no set-in-stone way to be a vampire, especially with the evil ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cameron-bright/there-s-no-set-in-stone-way-to-be-a-vampire-especially-with-the-evil/) [Cameron Bright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cameron-bright/) > [The bad things don't seem to happen to bad people.' That's because they already did. There's no original evil left in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/the-bad-things-don-t-seem-to-happen-to-bad-people-that-s-because-they/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [There's no original evil left in the world. Everyone's just recycling pain. (257)](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/keith-ablow/there-s-no-original-evil-left-in-the-world-everyone-s-just-recycling/) [Keith Ablow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/keith-ablow/) > [Who are these evil ones? In 1984, the evil one was called Goldstein. Orwell was writing a grim parody. But these people running the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-pilger/who-are-these-evil-ones-in-1984-the-evil-one-was-called-goldstein/) [John Pilger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-pilger/) > [Very few people see their own actions as truly evil,... It is left to their victims to decide what is evil and what is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurell-k-hamilton/very-few-people-see-their-own-actions-as-truly-evil-it-is-left-to/) [Laurell K. Hamilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurell-k-hamilton/) > [“The world is not nice, Jay. There is no such thing as innocent people. Only evil ones and those who punish them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarissa-wild/the-world-is-not-nice-jay-there-is-no-such-thing-as-innocent-people/) [Clarissa Wild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarissa-wild/) > [Perhaps this is the only real evil left.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-rice/perhaps-this-is-the-only-real-evil-left/) [Anne Rice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-rice/) > [“It was the Arch-votary, with its patterned shell. Slowly, it approached; those massive claws raised…The Arch-votary stopped, looming up before them. “Evil ones,” it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-duane/it-was-the-arch-votary-with-its-patterned-shell-slowly-it-approached/) [Diane Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-duane/) > [Let's face it. Leftism is the political form of evil. And the left largely controls the modern West. Where, then, does that leave us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-auster/let-s-face-it-leftism-is-the-political-form-of-evil-and-the-left/) [Lawrence Auster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-auster/) > [For the sake of one good action a hundred evil ones should be forgotten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinese-proverbs/for-the-sake-of-one-good-action-a-hundred-evil-ones-should-be/) [Chinese Proverbs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinese-proverbs/) > [The fact that the evil ones, as long as they live, can be corrected from their errors does not prohibit that they may be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-aquinas/the-fact-that-the-evil-ones-as-long-as-they-live-can-be-corrected/) [Thomas Aquinas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-aquinas/) ## More by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe > [True works of art contain their own theory and give us the measurement according to which we should judge them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/true-works-of-art-contain-their-own-theory-and-give-us-the/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [All lyrical work must, as a whole, be perfectly intelligible, but in some particulars a little unintelligible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/all-lyrical-work-must-as-a-whole-be-perfectly-intelligible-but-in/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [We know accurately only when we know little, with knowledge doubt increases.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/we-know-accurately-only-when-we-know-little-with-knowledge-doubt/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [It is easier to perceive error than to find truth, for the former lies on the surface and is easily seen, while the latter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/it-is-easier-to-perceive-error-than-to-find-truth-for-the-former-lies/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [There is no patriotic art and no patriotic science.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/there-is-no-patriotic-art-and-no-patriotic-science/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The connoisseur of art must be able to appreciate what is simply beautiful, but the common run of people is satisfied with ornament](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-connoisseur-of-art-must-be-able-to-appreciate-what-is-simply/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Nothing is worse than active ignorance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/nothing-is-worse-than-active-ignorance/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Let us not dream that reason can ever be popular. Passions, emotions, may be made popular; but reason remains ever the property of an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/let-us-not-dream-that-reason-can-ever-be-popular-passions-emotions/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Our foibles are really what make us lovable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/our-foibles-are-really-what-make-us-lovable/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/instruction-does-much-but-encouragement-everything/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Giving is the business of the rich.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/giving-is-the-business-of-the-rich/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Just begin and the mind grows heated; continue, and the task will be completed!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/just-begin-and-the-mind-grows-heated-continue-and-the-task-will-be/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [I look upon all four Gospels as thoroughly genuine, for there shines forth from them the reflected splendor of a sublimity proceeding from Jesus…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-look-upon-all-four-gospels-as-thoroughly-genuine-for-there-shines/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Whatever we may say against collections, which present authors in a disjointed form, they nevertheless bring about many excellent results. We are not always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/whatever-we-may-say-against-collections-which-present-authors-in-a/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) [Explore all 2,052 Johann Wolfgang von Goethe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) ## More Evil quotes > [I've always been fascinated by the idea that there's no such thing as evil; it's all in your point of view. To one group…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eli-roth/i-ve-always-been-fascinated-by-the-idea-that-there-s-no-such-thing-as/) [Eli Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eli-roth/) > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Every action that helps us manifest our divine nature more and more is good; every action that retards it is evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/every-action-that-helps-us-manifest-our-divine-nature-more-and-more/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [I do conscientiously and sincerely believe that the Order of Freemasonry, if not the greatest, is one of the greatest moral and political evils…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-quincy-adams/i-do-conscientiously-and-sincerely-believe-that-the-order-of/) [John Quincy Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-quincy-adams/) > [The Republicans do not look on the Democrats as the evil empire.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-safire/the-republicans-do-not-look-on-the-democrats-as-the-evil-empire/) [William Safire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-safire/) > [Let us remember that every worldview-not just Christianity's-must give an explanation or an answer for evil and suffering...this is not just a problem distinctive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ravi-zacharias/let-us-remember-that-every-worldview-not-just-christianity-s-must/) [Ravi Zacharias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ravi-zacharias/) > [What is done out of love always takes place beyond good and evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/what-is-done-out-of-love-always-takes-place-beyond-good-and-evil/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ Evil cannot be "treated" -- nor should it be. Evil has to \[be\] confronted and destroyed and it matters not why the evil is… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/evil-cannot-be-treated-nor-should-it-be-evil-has-to-be-confronted-and/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [The evil which does me no harm is like the good which in no wise avails me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-da-vinci/the-evil-which-does-me-no-harm-is-like-the-good-which-in-no-wise/) [Leonardo da Vinci](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-da-vinci/) > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There is a spirit which I feel that delights to do no evil, nor to revenge any wrong, but delights to endure all things,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-nayler/there-is-a-spirit-which-i-feel-that-delights-to-do-no-evil-nor-to/) [James Nayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-nayler/) > [The politician attempts to remedy the evil by increasing the very thing that caused the evil in the first place: legal plunder.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederic-bastiat/the-politician-attempts-to-remedy-the-evil-by-increasing-the-very/) [Frederic Bastiat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederic-bastiat/) > [“Water is so friendly when you have it on your palms, but so evil when they have you on theirs.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-f-moonzajer/water-is-so-friendly-when-you-have-it-on-your-palms-but-so-evil-when/) [M.F. Moonzajer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-f-moonzajer/) > [THE ART OF PEACE is not easy. It is a fight to the finish, the slaying of evil desires and all falsehood within. On…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/the-art-of-peace-is-not-easy-it-is-a-fight-to-the-finish-the-slaying/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) [Browse all 11,163 Evil quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-remain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-remain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0fb/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe-36_evil_the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-rema_1303174.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The Evil One has left, the evil ones remain.” — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "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": "Johann Wolfgang von Goethe", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The Evil One has left, the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-remain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/the-evil-one-has-left-the-evil-ones-remain/#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 } } ] } ```