--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The honester the man, the worse luck." description: "\"The honester the man, the worse luck.\" — John Ray" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png" --- # The honester the man, the worse luck. ![“The honester the man, the worse luck.” quote by John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png) > “The honester the man, the worse luck.” [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He suggests that honesty may lead to misfortune, implying a paradox between virtue and luck. **In simple terms:** Being honest can bring bad luck. Key Takeaway Beware of naïve honesty. Themes ethics fortune paradox Mood cautionary philosophical Type ethical reflective When to use this quote - personal decision‑making - risk assessment - storytelling Key Concepts moral philosophy luck theory Questions to Reflect On - When is honesty risky? - How to balance truth and self‑preservation? A Different Perspective Honesty often yields long‑term benefits despite short‑term setbacks. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Luck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/luck/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) ## Related quotes > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Man is always worse than most people suspect, but also generally better than most people dream.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/reinhold-niebuhr/man-is-always-worse-than-most-people-suspect-but-also-generally/) [Reinhold Niebuhr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/reinhold-niebuhr/) > [A man has no worse enemy than himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/a-man-has-no-worse-enemy-than-himself/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [If women were humbler, men would be honester.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-vanbrugh/if-women-were-humbler-men-would-be-honester/) [John Vanbrugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-vanbrugh/) > [I thank God I am as honest as any man living that is an old man and no honester than I.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-thank-god-i-am-as-honest-as-any-man-living-that-is-an-old-man-and/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...when you're broken, everything gets a little honester - you make mistakes and don't give a damn - you give up on perfection, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/when-you-re-broken-everything-gets-a-little-honester-you-make/) [John Geddes A Familiar Rain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-geddes-a-familiar-rain/) > [The more I see of the Swedes, the more I am convinced that there is no kinder, simpler, and honester people in the world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bayard-taylor/the-more-i-see-of-the-swedes-the-more-i-am-convinced-that-there-is-no/) [Bayard Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bayard-taylor/) > [“Anyway, you never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from. I was too young for one war and too old…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/anyway-you-never-know-what-worse-luck-your-bad-luck-has-saved-you/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [“Books have to be read (worse luck, for it takes a long time); it is the only way of discovering what they contain.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-m-forster-2/books-have-to-be-read-worse-luck-for-it-takes-a-long-time-it-is-the/) [E.M. Forster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-m-forster-2/) > [You never know what worse luck your bad luck has saved you from.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cormac-mccarthy/you-never-know-what-worse-luck-your-bad-luck-has-saved-you-from/) [Cormac McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cormac-mccarthy/) > [You can't wish a body any worse luck than to get what he wants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-canfield-fisher/you-can-t-wish-a-body-any-worse-luck-than-to-get-what-he-wants/) [Dorothy Canfield Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-canfield-fisher/) > [It's awful bad luck to bring a woman aboard the ship." "It's awful worse luck not to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-depp/it-s-awful-bad-luck-to-bring-a-woman-aboard-the-ship-it-s-awful-worse/) [Johnny Depp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-depp/) > [Pride in the case of a rich man is bad, but pride in the case of a poor man is worse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abu-bakr/pride-in-the-case-of-a-rich-man-is-bad-but-pride-in-the-case-of-a/) [Abu Bakr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abu-bakr/) > [Taking all the round of professions and occupations, you will find that every man is the worse for being poor; and the doctor is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-bernard-shaw/taking-all-the-round-of-professions-and-occupations-you-will-find/) [George Bernard Shaw](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-bernard-shaw/) > [If originally it was not good for a man to be alone, it is much worse for a sick man to be so; he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-chesterfield/if-originally-it-was-not-good-for-a-man-to-be-alone-it-is-much-worse/) [Lord Chesterfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-chesterfield/) ## More by John Ray > [He that preaches war is the devil's chaplain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/he-that-preaches-war-is-the-devil-s-chaplain/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Children pick up words as pigeons peas And utter them again as God shall please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/children-pick-up-words-as-pigeons-peas-and-utter-them-again-as-god/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Guilt is always jealous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/guilt-is-always-jealous/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [He who pays the piper can call the tunes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/he-who-pays-the-piper-can-call-the-tunes/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [The heart is the first part that quickens, and the last that dies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-heart-is-the-first-part-that-quickens-and-the-last-that-dies/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [One means very effectual for the preservation of health is a quiet and cheerful mind, not afflicted with violent passions or distracted with immoderate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/one-means-very-effectual-for-the-preservation-of-health-is-a-quiet/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Love thy neighbor, but pull not down thy hedge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/love-thy-neighbor-but-pull-not-down-thy-hedge/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [They love too much that die for love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/they-love-too-much-that-die-for-love/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [“Love you Neighbor; yet don't pull down your Hedge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/love-you-neighbor-yet-don-t-pull-down-your-hedge/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Fish must swim thrice--once is the water, a second time in the sauce, and a third time in wine in the stomach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/fish-must-swim-thrice-once-is-the-water-a-second-time-in-the-sauce/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [To go like a cat upon a hot bakestone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/to-go-like-a-cat-upon-a-hot-bakestone/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Man does what he can, and God what he will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/man-does-what-he-can-and-god-what-he-will/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Who depends upon another man's table often dines late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/who-depends-upon-another-man-s-table-often-dines-late/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Every man praises his own wares.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/every-man-praises-his-own-wares/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Where love fails we espy all faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/where-love-fails-we-espy-all-faults/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) [Explore all 90 John Ray quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) ## More He man quotes > [When I passed the Chancellor he arose, waved his hand at me, and I waved back at him. I think the writers showed bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-owens/when-i-passed-the-chancellor-he-arose-waved-his-hand-at-me-and-i/) [Jesse Owens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-owens/) > [The man who can master his time can master nearly anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/winston-churchill/the-man-who-can-master-his-time-can-master-nearly-anything/) [Winston Churchill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/winston-churchill/) > [When man of slender visits you / Nothing on earth that one can do / In well he’ll hide, or watery hole / And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-goldstein/when-man-of-slender-visits-you-nothing-on-earth-that-one-can-do-in/) [Jack Goldstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-goldstein/) > [Here comes old Rosie she's looking mighty fine, here comes hot Nancy she's steppin' right on time. There go the street lights bringing on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-seger/here-comes-old-rosie-she-s-looking-mighty-fine-here-comes-hot-nancy/) [Bob Seger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-seger/) > [My idea for 'BoneMan's Daughters' came from the loss of my own daughter when she left home to live with a monster at age…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-dekker/my-idea-for-boneman-s-daughters-came-from-the-loss-of-my-own-daughter/) [Ted Dekker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-dekker/) > [It would be a piece of ingenuousness to accuse the man of today of his lack of moral code. The accusation would leave him…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ortega-y-gasset/it-would-be-a-piece-of-ingenuousness-to-accuse-the-man-of-today-of/) [Jose Ortega y Gasset](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ortega-y-gasset/) > [The dog is guided by kindly instinct to the man or woman whose heart is open to his advances. The cat often leaves the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-repplier/the-dog-is-guided-by-kindly-instinct-to-the-man-or-woman-whose-heart/) [Agnes Repplier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-repplier/) > [Happy (if mortals can be) is the man,Who, not by priest but Reason, rules his span:Reason, to its possessor a sure guide,Reason, a thorn…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-chatterton/happy-if-mortals-can-be-is-the-man-who-not-by-priest-but-reason-rules/) [Thomas Chatterton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-chatterton/) > [What does the future, that half of time, matter to the man who is infatuated with eternity?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emile-m-cioran/what-does-the-future-that-half-of-time-matter-to-the-man-who-is/) [Emile M. Cioran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emile-m-cioran/) > [It's woman's spirit and mood a man has to stimulate in order to make sex interesting. The real lover is the man who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-s-woman-s-spirit-and-mood-a-man-has-to-stimulate-in-order-to-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can show you who's the man Let me show you with my hands I just want you close to me I'll get you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eamon/i-can-show-you-who-s-the-man-let-me-show-you-with-my-hands-i-just/) [Eamon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eamon/) > [Forgiving the men who killed my parents and brother was a process, a journey into deeper and deeper prayer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/immaculee-ilibagiza/forgiving-the-men-who-killed-my-parents-and-brother-was-a-process-a/) [Immaculee Ilibagiza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/immaculee-ilibagiza/) > [You know what really made me sick? I was in Washington, D.C. at another time reading in a paper where the U.S. gives Byron…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/you-know-what-really-made-me-sick-i-was-in-washington-d-c-at-another/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [Most women you know are very much interested in the man who is reputed to be deeply admired by other women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-desmond/most-women-you-know-are-very-much-interested-in-the-man-who-is/) [Arthur Desmond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-desmond/) > [It is suggested that in domestic violence at least the presence or absence of a firearm, or of any other type of weapon, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-greenwood/it-is-suggested-that-in-domestic-violence-at-least-the-presence-or/) [Colin Greenwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-greenwood/) Browse all 4,439 He man quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The honester the man, the worse luck.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "John Ray" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "He man" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/58d/john-ray-7515_he-man_the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck-2729_2729760.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The honester the man, the worse luck.” — John Ray", "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": "John Ray", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The honester the man, the worse...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/the-honester-the-man-the-worse-luck/#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 } } ] } ```