--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The beginning of evil is heedlessness." description: "\"The beginning of evil is heedlessness.\" — Poemen" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg" --- # The beginning of evil is heedlessness. ![“The beginning of evil is heedlessness.” quote by Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg) > “The beginning of evil is heedlessness.” [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Neglecting vigilance allows evil to arise; awareness prevents wrongdoing. **In simple terms:** Carelessness breeds evil. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant. Themes ethics vigilance morality Mood serene cautious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal safety - community watch - ethical decision making Key Concepts ancient philosophy preventive ethics human nature Questions to Reflect On - What areas need your attention? - How can you balance vigilance with peace? A Different Perspective Vigilance can cause anxiety if overdone. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beginning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) [Birth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/birth/) [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Saint](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/saint/) ## Related quotes > [Don't give way to heedlessness or to intimacy with sensual delight - for a heedful person, absorbed in jhana, attains an abundance of ease.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/don-t-give-way-to-heedlessness-or-to-intimacy-with-sensual-delight/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [In practice, some come to see easily, some with difficulty. But whatever the case, never mind. Difficult or easy, the Buddha said not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ajahn-chah/in-practice-some-come-to-see-easily-some-with-difficulty-but-whatever/) [Ajahn Chah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ajahn-chah/) > [Fear, either as a principle or a motive, is the beginning of all evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anna-brownell-jameson/fear-either-as-a-principle-or-a-motive-is-the-beginning-of-all-evil/) [Anna Brownell Jameson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anna-brownell-jameson/) > [In morals, what begins in fear usually ends in wickedness; in religion, what begins in fear usually ends in fanaticism. Fear, either as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-morals-what-begins-in-fear-usually-ends-in-wickedness-in-religion/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The chief beginning of evil is goodness in excess.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/menander/the-chief-beginning-of-evil-is-goodness-in-excess/) [Menander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/menander/) > [Fear can indeed be the beginning of wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/fear-can-indeed-be-the-beginning-of-wisdom/) [Barbara Ward, Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barbara-ward-baroness-jackson-of-lodsworth/) > [“End is not the end, it's the new beginning.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinesh-s-negi/end-is-not-the-end-it-s-the-new-beginning/) Dinesh S. Negi > [“Forgiveness is the beginning of freedom.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlena-jackson/forgiveness-is-the-beginning-of-freedom/) [Charlena Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlena-jackson/) > [Spiritual beings, either from the beginning or soon thereafter, become what they are to be for ever and ever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/spiritual-beings-either-from-the-beginning-or-soon-thereafter-become/) [Giovanni Pico della Mirandola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanni-pico-della-mirandola/) > [The vail is being raised. For many, we are living in the last days. For us, it's only the beginning. One love, one conscious,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ab-soul/the-vail-is-being-raised-for-many-we-are-living-in-the-last-days-for/) [Ab-Soul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ab-soul/) > [“A mother is always the beginning. She is how things begin.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-tan/a-mother-is-always-the-beginning-she-is-how-things-begin/) [Amy Tan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-tan/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad ## More by Poemen > [God has given this way of life to Israel: to abstain from everything which is contrary to nature, that is to say, anger, fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/god-has-given-this-way-of-life-to-israel-to-abstain-from-everything/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [Will not God, who has commanded men to act thus, do as much himself and even more? For God commanded Peter to forgive till…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/will-not-god-who-has-commanded-men-to-act-thus-do-as-much-himself-and/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [There is no greater love than that a man lays down his life for his neighbor. When you hear someone complaining and you struggle…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/there-is-no-greater-love-than-that-a-man-lays-down-his-life-for-his/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [If a man sins and denies it, saying, 'I have not sinned,' do not correct him, or you will destroy any intention he might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/if-a-man-sins-and-denies-it-saying-i-have-not-sinned-do-not-correct/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [As far as you can, do some manual work so as to be able to give alms, for it is written that alms and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/as-far-as-you-can-do-some-manual-work-so-as-to-be-able-to-give-alms/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [Do not give your heart to that which does not satisfy your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/do-not-give-your-heart-to-that-which-does-not-satisfy-your-heart/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [If a monk can overcome two things, he can become free from the world. Bodily ease and vain-glory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/if-a-monk-can-overcome-two-things-he-can-become-free-from-the-world/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [Now, there was an anchorite called Timothy in a coenobium. The abbot, having heard of a brother who was being tempted, asked Timothy about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/now-there-was-an-anchorite-called-timothy-in-a-coenobium-the-abbot/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [Whenever we cover our brother's sin, God will cover ours; whenever we tell people about our brother's guilt, God will do the same about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/whenever-we-cover-our-brother-s-sin-god-will-cover-ours-whenever-we/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [An old man said, We are not condemned because of our thoughts that enter us, but because we use our thoughts badly; our thoughts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/an-old-man-said-we-are-not-condemned-because-of-our-thoughts-that/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > ['Greater love has no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends' (Jn. 15:13). In truth if someone hears…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/greater-love-has-no-man-than-this-that-a-man-lay-down-his-life-for/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [Teach the mouth to say what you have in your heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/teach-the-mouth-to-say-what-you-have-in-your-heart/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) > [If you think little about yourself, you will have rest wherever you reside.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/if-you-think-little-about-yourself-you-will-have-rest-wherever-you/) [Poemen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) [Explore all 14 Poemen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/) ## More Beginning quotes > [At the very beginning, I was a page at Letterman, and I freelanced for any place that would let me write any word. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-schwartz/at-the-very-beginning-i-was-a-page-at-letterman-and-i-freelanced-for/) [Ben Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-schwartz/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Every Finish Line is the beginning of a new race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-finish-line-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-race/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Always keep the smile, because the smile is the beginning of love.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-imad/always-keep-the-smile-because-the-smile-is-the-beginning-of-love/) Adam Imad > [We are beginning to see intimations of this in the implantation of computer devices into the human body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-kurzweil/we-are-beginning-to-see-intimations-of-this-in-the-implantation-of/) [Ray Kurzweil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-kurzweil/) > [The only vocal training I had was playing with a tape recorder as a kid, and you know, doing the beginning of the 'Lone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-buffer/the-only-vocal-training-i-had-was-playing-with-a-tape-recorder-as-a/) [Michael Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-buffer/) > [January is the beginning of a new year for us in the Western world. Let us give to God what belongs to him: the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-white/january-is-the-beginning-of-a-new-year-for-us-in-the-western-world/) [Paula White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-white/) > [In the beginning, if you look at those early label albums of the Chicks, we didn't write all that much. We had an A&R…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martie-maguire/in-the-beginning-if-you-look-at-those-early-label-albums-of-the/) [Martie Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martie-maguire/) > [You need more than a beginning if you're going to start a book. If all you have is a beginning, then once you've written…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/neil-gaiman/you-need-more-than-a-beginning-if-you-re-going-to-start-a-book-if-all/) [Neil Gaiman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/neil-gaiman/) > [When there is a mission before you, you see it from its beginning to its conclusion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-white/when-there-is-a-mission-before-you-you-see-it-from-its-beginning-to/) [Jesse White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-white/) > [When God made the world, all things began with him. Life, death, it all began when he said so. That includes you and me…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manae-poet-of-carisis/when-god-made-the-world-all-things-began-with-him-life-death-it-all/) Manae Poet Of Carisis > [From the beginning at Intel, we planned on being big.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-noyce/from-the-beginning-at-intel-we-planned-on-being-big/) [Robert Noyce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-noyce/) > [In the very beginning, Yelp started as a service where we really didn't think people would write reviews for fun. The whole concept of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-stoppelman/in-the-very-beginning-yelp-started-as-a-service-where-we-really-didn/) [Jeremy Stoppelman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-stoppelman/) > [Some projects feel like the stars are aligning for them from the very beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-smith/some-projects-feel-like-the-stars-are-aligning-for-them-from-the-very/) [Gregory Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-smith/) > [Do not judge me by my beginning, Only by my end, Nor by the path I took, But where it led me](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacklyn-h-lucas/do-not-judge-me-by-my-beginning-only-by-my-end-nor-by-the-path-i-took/) Jacklyn H Lucas [Browse all 3,566 Beginning quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beginning/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The beginning of evil is heedlessness.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Poemen" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Beginning" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c2d/poemen-34798_birth_the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness-20_2097942.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The beginning of evil is heedlessness.” — Poemen", "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": "Poemen", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/poemen/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The beginning of evil is heedlessness.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/poemen/the-beginning-of-evil-is-heedlessness/#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 } } ] } ```