---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: False-dealing travels a short road, and…"
description: "\"False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.\" — William Penn"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png"
---

#  False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.

![“False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png)

> “False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.”

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Dishonesty is a short, easily uncovered path.

**In simple terms:** Cheating is quickly discovered.

Key Takeaway

Choose honesty over shortcuts.

Themes

ethics integrity trust

Mood

cautionary serious

Type

moral didactic

When to use this quote

- business negotiations
- personal relationships
- political dealings

Key Concepts

moral philosophy social contracts

Questions to Reflect On

- Is short-term gain worth long-term loss?
- How does trust affect success?

A Different Perspective

Some may think short-term gain outweighs risk.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[False Dealing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/false-dealing-1780971/) [Falsity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsity/) [Road Surely](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/road-surely-809766/) [Short Road](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/short-road-1780972/) [Surely Detected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/surely-detected-1780974/) [Travels Short](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/travels-short-1780973/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [I wanted to take the short road to the top, and I think I'm doing that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-gaethje/i-wanted-to-take-the-short-road-to-the-top-and-i-think-i-m-doing-that/)

[Justin Gaethje](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-gaethje/)

> [The end for which we are created invites us to walk a road that is surely sown with a lot of thorns, but it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pier-giorgio-frassati/the-end-for-which-we-are-created-invites-us-to-walk-a-road-that-is/)

[Pier Giorgio Frassati](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pier-giorgio-frassati/)

> [The old idea that words possess magical powers is false; but its falsity is the distortion of a very important truth. Words do have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-old-idea-that-words-possess-magical-powers-is-false-but-its/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-know-that-most-men-including-those-at-ease-with-problems-of-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [“And so even the righteous heart is besieged by the blinding light of false knowledge. Falsity is like an ocean that presses around solitary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-so-even-the-righteous-heart-is-besieged-by-the-blinding-light-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/falsity-cannot-keep-an-idea-from-being-beautiful-there-are-certain/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [if i dont want to be known, i cannot be known.the best actor can divide role from self.the best liar can divide truth from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ming-dao-deng/if-i-dont-want-to-be-known-i-cannot-be-known-the-best-actor-can/)

[Ming-Dao Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ming-dao-deng/)

> [The question of relevance comes before that of truth, because to ask whether a statement is true or false presupposes that it is relevant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/the-question-of-relevance-comes-before-that-of-truth-because-to-ask/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you take only what is worth having. He who takes advice about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-clason/advice-is-one-thing-that-is-freely-given-away-but-watch-that-you-take/)

[George S. Clason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-clason/)

> [We do not wish incorrect and unsound doctrines to be handed down to posterity under the sanction of great names, to be received and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/we-do-not-wish-incorrect-and-unsound-doctrines-to-be-handed-down-to/)

[Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/)

> [Don't imitate: imitation creates falsity, pseudo-ness, inauthenticity. Just feel your own way and don't bother about what others say. It is nobody else's business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-imitate-imitation-creates-falsity-pseudo-ness-inauthenticity/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The best society, the best human existence, arrives when humans most closely determine the truth, and act on the truth, and separate it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rodgers/the-best-society-the-best-human-existence-arrives-when-humans-most/)

[Dave Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rodgers/)

> [The fate of the physiology of the brain is independent of the truth and falsity of my assertions relative to the laws of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-joseph-gall/the-fate-of-the-physiology-of-the-brain-is-independent-of-the-truth/)

[Franz Joseph Gall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-joseph-gall/)

> [Every friendship travels at sometime through the black valley of despair. This tests every aspect of your affection. You lose the attraction and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-friendship-travels-at-sometime-through-the-black-valley-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

## More by William Penn

> [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/)

[William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

> [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/)

[Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/)

## More Falsity quotes

> [The statesmen will invent cheap lies, putting the blame upon the nation that is attacked, and every man will be glad of those conscience-soothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/the-statesmen-will-invent-cheap-lies-putting-the-blame-upon-the/)

[Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/)

> [Every friendship travels at sometime through the black valley of despair. This tests every aspect of your affection. You lose the attraction and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/every-friendship-travels-at-sometime-through-the-black-valley-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [The fate of the physiology of the brain is independent of the truth and falsity of my assertions relative to the laws of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franz-joseph-gall/the-fate-of-the-physiology-of-the-brain-is-independent-of-the-truth/)

[Franz Joseph Gall](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franz-joseph-gall/)

> [The best society, the best human existence, arrives when humans most closely determine the truth, and act on the truth, and separate it from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-rodgers/the-best-society-the-best-human-existence-arrives-when-humans-most/)

[Dave Rodgers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-rodgers/)

> [Don't imitate: imitation creates falsity, pseudo-ness, inauthenticity. Just feel your own way and don't bother about what others say. It is nobody else's business.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/don-t-imitate-imitation-creates-falsity-pseudo-ness-inauthenticity/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [We do not wish incorrect and unsound doctrines to be handed down to posterity under the sanction of great names, to be received and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brigham-young/we-do-not-wish-incorrect-and-unsound-doctrines-to-be-handed-down-to/)

[Brigham Young](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brigham-young/)

> [Advice is one thing that is freely given away, but watch that you take only what is worth having. He who takes advice about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-s-clason/advice-is-one-thing-that-is-freely-given-away-but-watch-that-you-take/)

[George S. Clason](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-s-clason/)

> [The question of relevance comes before that of truth, because to ask whether a statement is true or false presupposes that it is relevant…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-bohm/the-question-of-relevance-comes-before-that-of-truth-because-to-ask/)

[David Bohm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-bohm/)

> [if i dont want to be known, i cannot be known.the best actor can divide role from self.the best liar can divide truth from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ming-dao-deng/if-i-dont-want-to-be-known-i-cannot-be-known-the-best-actor-can/)

[Ming-Dao Deng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ming-dao-deng/)

> [Falsity cannot keep an idea from being beautiful; there are certain errors of such ingenuity that one could regret their not ranking among the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-rostand/falsity-cannot-keep-an-idea-from-being-beautiful-there-are-certain/)

[Jean Rostand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-rostand/)

> [“And so even the righteous heart is besieged by the blinding light of false knowledge. Falsity is like an ocean that presses around solitary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-so-even-the-righteous-heart-is-besieged-by-the-blinding-light-of/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [I know that most men, including those at ease with problems of the greatest complexity, can seldom accept even the simplest and most obvious…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-tolstoy/i-know-that-most-men-including-those-at-ease-with-problems-of-the/)

[Leo Tolstoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-tolstoy/)

> [The old idea that words possess magical powers is false; but its falsity is the distortion of a very important truth. Words do have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/the-old-idea-that-words-possess-magical-powers-is-false-but-its/)

[Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/)

> [People don't want other people to get high, because if you get high, you might see the falsity of the fabric of the society…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-kesey/people-don-t-want-other-people-to-get-high-because-if-you-get-high/)

[Ken Kesey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-kesey/)

> [Almost all political campaigns involve falsity and playacting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rich-lowry/almost-all-political-campaigns-involve-falsity-and-playacting/)

[Rich Lowry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rich-lowry/)

[Browse all 72 Falsity quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/falsity/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Penn"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-surely-detected/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Falsity"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-surely-detected/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/47d/william-penn-1104_falsity_false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-s_1771185.png",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“False-dealing travels a short road, and surely detected.” — William Penn",
                "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": "William Penn",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "False-dealing travels a short road, and...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-surely-detected/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/false-dealing-travels-a-short-road-and-surely-detected/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
