--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in…" description: "\"Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he that sets all the knaves at work will pay them.\" — Roger L'Estrange" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png" --- # Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he… ![“Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he that sets all the knaves at work will pay them.” quote by Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png) > “Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he that sets all the knaves at work will pay them.” [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Short‑term success of the wicked is temporary; ultimately, those who employ dishonest people will face consequences. **In simple terms:** Bad deeds may win briefly, but the schemer will suffer later. Key Takeaway Beware of exploiting others; justice catches up. Themes justice morality consequences Mood cautionary serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - political intrigue - business negotiations - legal disputes - personal relationships Key Concepts retribution ethical leadership long‑term planning Questions to Reflect On - Is it worth the risk to use deceit? - How can integrity protect long‑term success? A Different Perspective Short‑term gains can blind one to future fallout. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Evil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/evil/) [Knaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knaves/) [Knaves Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knaves-work-5292336/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Long run](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-run/) [Long runs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long-runs/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Pay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pay/) [Prosper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosper/) [Prosper Awhile](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prosper-awhile-5292335/) [Running](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/running/) [Wickedness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness/) [Wickedness Prosper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wickedness-prosper-2310213/) [Work](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/work/) ## Related quotes > [Wickedness may prosper for a while.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/wickedness-may-prosper-for-a-while/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Money does all things,--for it gives and it takes away; it makes honest men and knaves, fools and philosophers; and so forward, mutatis mutandis,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/money-does-all-things-for-it-gives-and-it-takes-away-it-makes-honest/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [“It is your heart behind the action that allows you to prosper, not the action yourself. You can give away all your possessions, time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-evan-johnson/it-is-your-heart-behind-the-action-that-allows-you-to-prosper-not-the/) [J. Evan Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-evan-johnson/) > [It either is or ought to be evident to everyone that business has to prosper before anyone can get any benefit from it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/it-either-is-or-ought-to-be-evident-to-everyone-that-business-has-to/) [Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/) > [I get Tweets every day from people telling me that 'Hey, I'm going to overcome my injury or my illness. Cancer. Different diseases. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-peterson/i-get-tweets-every-day-from-people-telling-me-that-hey-i-m-going-to/) [Adrian Peterson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-peterson/) > [“We can only prosper where we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-kelley-harrell/we-can-only-prosper-where-we-are/) [S. Kelley Harrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-kelley-harrell/) > [Excellence means that you're prospering spiritually, mentally, physically and in every area of life. What does it mean to prosper? It means to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-oyakhilome/excellence-means-that-you-re-prospering-spiritually-mentally/) [Chris Oyakhilome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-oyakhilome/) > [We need to have a modicum of faith in people's common sense, creativity and will to survive and prosper even in the face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-higgs/we-need-to-have-a-modicum-of-faith-in-people-s-common-sense/) [Robert Higgs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-higgs/) > [Success Consists Of Daily Efford. Every little efford you put in determines your latitude as you make your way to the top. Know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-phasane/success-consists-of-daily-efford-every-little-efford-you-put-in/) [Brian Phasane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-phasane/) > [We are a free and independent country and will prosper if given a proper chance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priti-patel/we-are-a-free-and-independent-country-and-will-prosper-if-given-a/) [Priti Patel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priti-patel/) > [“Go maire tu' I bhfad agus rath! 'Live long and prosper'.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-duane/go-maire-tu-i-bhfad-agus-rath-live-long-and-prosper/) [Diane Duane](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-duane/) > [Religions prosper in large part because of the communities that they create.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lawrence-wright/religions-prosper-in-large-part-because-of-the-communities-that-they/) [Lawrence Wright](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lawrence-wright/) > [Only cheaters prosper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-tayler/only-cheaters-prosper/) [Howard Tayler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-tayler/) > [“If you wish to prosper, seek peace.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/if-you-wish-to-prosper-seek-peace/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [He who ceases to pray ceases to prosper.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gurney-benham/he-who-ceases-to-pray-ceases-to-prosper/) [William Gurney Benham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gurney-benham/) ## More by Roger L'Estrange > [He that would live clear of envy must lay his finger on his mouth, and keep his hand out of the ink-pot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/he-that-would-live-clear-of-envy-must-lay-his-finger-on-his-mouth-and/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Humor is the offspring of man; it comes forth like Minerva, fully armed from the brain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/humor-is-the-offspring-of-man-it-comes-forth-like-minerva-fully-armed/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Some people are all quality; you would think they are made up of nothing but title and genealogy. The stamp of dignity defaces in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/some-people-are-all-quality-you-would-think-they-are-made-up-of/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Men indulge those opinions and practices that favor their pretensions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/men-indulge-those-opinions-and-practices-that-favor-their-pretensions/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [It is one of the vexatious mortifications of a studious man to have his thoughts disordered by a tedious visit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/it-is-one-of-the-vexatious-mortifications-of-a-studious-man-to-have/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Figure-flingers and star-gazers pretend to foretell the fortunes of kingdoms, and have no foresight in what concerns themselves.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/figure-flingers-and-star-gazers-pretend-to-foretell-the-fortunes-of/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [We never think of the main business of life till a vain repentance minds us of it at the wrong end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/we-never-think-of-the-main-business-of-life-till-a-vain-repentance/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [He that serves God for money will serve the Devil for better wages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/he-that-serves-god-for-money-will-serve-the-devil-for-better-wages/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Nothing is so fierce but love will soften; nothing so sharp-sighted in other matters but it will throw a mist before its eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/nothing-is-so-fierce-but-love-will-soften-nothing-so-sharp-sighted-in/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [A universal applause is seldom less than two thirds of a scandal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/a-universal-applause-is-seldom-less-than-two-thirds-of-a-scandal/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Unruly ambition is deaf, not only to the advice of friends, but to the counsels and monitions of reason itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/unruly-ambition-is-deaf-not-only-to-the-advice-of-friends-but-to-the/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [There is no contending with necessity, and we should be very tender how we censure those that submit to it. It is one thing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/there-is-no-contending-with-necessity-and-we-should-be-very-tender/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Ingratitude is abhorred by God and man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/ingratitude-is-abhorred-by-god-and-man/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [The fairest blossoms of pleasantry thrive best where the sun is not strong enough to scorch, nor the soil rank enough to corrupt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/the-fairest-blossoms-of-pleasantry-thrive-best-where-the-sun-is-not/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) > [Some natures are so sour and ungrateful that they are never to be obliged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/some-natures-are-so-sour-and-ungrateful-that-they-are-never-to-be/) [Roger L'Estrange](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) [Explore all 57 Roger L'Estrange quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/) ## 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": "Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he that sets all the knaves at work will pay them.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Roger L'Estrange" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in-the-long-run-he-that-sets/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Evil" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in-the-long-run-he-that-sets/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/roger-l-estrange-11943_evil_wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in_2275791.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but in the long run, he that sets all the knaves at work will pay them.” — Roger L'Estrange", "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": "Roger L'Estrange", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-l-estrange/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Wickedness may prosper for awhile, but...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in-the-long-run-he-that-sets/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-l-estrange/wickedness-may-prosper-for-awhile-but-in-the-long-run-he-that-sets/#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 } } ] } ```