--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An evil deed is better left undone, for a…" description: "\"An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.\" — Max Muller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg" --- # An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of… ![“An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.” quote by Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg) > “An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.” [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Doing good actions prevents later guilt, while avoiding harmful actions avoids future remorse. **In simple terms:** Good deeds avoid regret; bad deeds cause it. Key Takeaway Act kindly now, avoid harm later. Themes ethics responsibility consequences Mood reflective thoughtful Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - community service - decision making - conflict resolution Key Concepts moral philosophy psychology of regret Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take today to benefit others? - How do you handle regret after a mistake? A Different Perspective Even good deeds can have unintended negative effects. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deed Better](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deed-better-320628/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Does Repent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-repent-1511731/) [Done](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/done/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Evil Deed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil-deed-348682/) [Good deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-deeds/) [Left](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/left/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Repent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repent/) [Repents Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/repents-good-1511730/) [Undone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/undone/) ## Related quotes > [Give a good deed the credit of a good motive; and give an evil deed the benefit of the doubt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brander-matthews/give-a-good-deed-the-credit-of-a-good-motive-and-give-an-evil-deed/) [Brander Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brander-matthews/) > [When the evil deed, after it has become known, brings sorrow to the fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/when-the-evil-deed-after-it-has-become-known-brings-sorrow-to-the/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [When God calls a man, He does not repent of it. God does not, as many friends do, love one day, and hate another;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-watson/when-god-calls-a-man-he-does-not-repent-of-it-god-does-not-as-many/) [Thomas Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-watson/) > [We should all realize that no matter where or how a man dies, if he is in the state of mortal sin and does…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/we-should-all-realize-that-no-matter-where-or-how-a-man-dies-if-he-is/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [He that does not repent, sins again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-whichcote/he-that-does-not-repent-sins-again/) [Benjamin Whichcote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-whichcote/) > [Ways of Life : The smallest good deed is better than the grandest intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikhil-saluja/ways-of-life-the-smallest-good-deed-is-better-than-the-grandest/) [Nikhil Saluja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikhil-saluja/) > [“One act of a kind deed is better than thousand words of knowledge.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/one-act-of-a-kind-deed-is-better-than-thousand-words-of-knowledge/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [The smallest deed is better than the greatest intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-burroughs/the-smallest-deed-is-better-than-the-greatest-intention/) [John Burroughs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-burroughs/) > [The smallest deed is better than the grandest intention.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-nash-baldwin/the-smallest-deed-is-better-than-the-grandest-intention/) [Roger Nash Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-nash-baldwin/) > [“the smallest good deed is better than the grandest good intention”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/duguet/the-smallest-good-deed-is-better-than-the-grandest-good-intention/) [Duguet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/duguet/) > [The world, as transformed by this creative deed, is better than it would have been had all else remained the same, but had that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josiah-royce/the-world-as-transformed-by-this-creative-deed-is-better-than-it/) [Josiah Royce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josiah-royce/) > [This is the curse of an evil deed, that it incites and must bring forth more evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-schiller/this-is-the-curse-of-an-evil-deed-that-it-incites-and-must-bring/) [Friedrich Schiller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-schiller/) > [“An evil deed can be forgiven. While it may not be forgotten, the deed is not the doer, and we must be willing to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-huff/an-evil-deed-can-be-forgiven-while-it-may-not-be-forgotten-the-deed/) [Roy Huff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-huff/) > [One should see the world, and see himself as a scale with an equal balance of good and evil. When he does one good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maimonides/one-should-see-the-world-and-see-himself-as-a-scale-with-an-equal/) [Maimonides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maimonides/) > [Traditional history appears to be the defacto recognition of every evil deed that failed to be stopped or eliminated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dagobert-d-runes/traditional-history-appears-to-be-the-defacto-recognition-of-every/) [Dagobert D. Runes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dagobert-d-runes/) ## More by Max Muller > [In order to discover truth, we must be truthful ourselves, and must welcome those who point out our errors as heartily as those who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/in-order-to-discover-truth-we-must-be-truthful-ourselves-and-must/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [Bad deeds, and deeds hurtful to ourselves, are easy to do; what is beneficial and good, that is very difficult to do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/bad-deeds-and-deeds-hurtful-to-ourselves-are-easy-to-do-what-is/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [To me this technical acceptation seems not applicable here, where we have to deal with the simplest moral precepts, and not with psychological niceties…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/to-me-this-technical-acceptation-seems-not-applicable-here-where-we/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [The translation of the Veda will hereafter tell to a great extent on the fate of India and on the growth of millions of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/the-translation-of-the-veda-will-hereafter-tell-to-a-great-extent-on/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [The evil-doer mourns in the next; he mourns in both. He mourns and suffers when he sees the evil of his own work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/the-evil-doer-mourns-in-the-next-he-mourns-in-both-he-mourns-and/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [I was so astonished that another had penetrated so deeply into the secrets of my soul, and that he knew what I did not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/i-was-so-astonished-that-another-had-penetrated-so-deeply-into-the/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [Even in heavenly pleasures he finds no satisfaction, the disciple who is fully awakened delights only in the destruction of all desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/even-in-heavenly-pleasures-he-finds-no-satisfaction-the-disciple-who/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [The scent of flowers does not travel against the wind; but the odor of good people travels; even against the wind: a good man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/the-scent-of-flowers-does-not-travel-against-the-wind-but-the-odor-of/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [What ought to be done is neglected, what ought not to be done is done; the desires of unruly, thoughtless people are always increasing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/what-ought-to-be-done-is-neglected-what-ought-not-to-be-done-is-done/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [He who wishes to put on the yellow dress without having cleansed himself from sin, who disregards temperance and truth, is unworthy of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/he-who-wishes-to-put-on-the-yellow-dress-without-having-cleansed/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [I spend my happiest hours in reading Vedantic books. They are to me like the light of the morning, like the pure air of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/i-spend-my-happiest-hours-in-reading-vedantic-books-they-are-to-me/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [It smote me to the heart that I had found no one in all the world who loved me more than all others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/it-smote-me-to-the-heart-that-i-had-found-no-one-in-all-the-world-who/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [Whoever knows it also knows that in love there is no More and no Less; but that he who loves can only love with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/whoever-knows-it-also-knows-that-in-love-there-is-no-more-and-no-less/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [There is no book in the world that is so thrilling, stirring and inspiring as the Upanishads.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/there-is-no-book-in-the-world-that-is-so-thrilling-stirring-and/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) > [When the evil deed, after it has become known, brings sorrow to the fool, then it destroys his bright lot, nay, it cleaves his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/when-the-evil-deed-after-it-has-become-known-brings-sorrow-to-the/) [Max Muller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) [Explore all 66 Max Muller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/) ## More Deeds quotes > [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/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for having done it, one does not repent.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Max Muller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a-man-repents-of-it-afterwards/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a-man-repents-of-it-afterwards/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/5b7/max-muller-10402_deeds_an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a_1740037.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An evil deed is better left undone, for a man repents of it afterwards; a good deed is better done, for…” — Max Muller", "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": "Max Muller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-muller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An evil deed is better left...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a-man-repents-of-it-afterwards/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-muller/an-evil-deed-is-better-left-undone-for-a-man-repents-of-it-afterwards/#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 } } ] } ```