Evils in the journey of life are like the hills which alarm travelers on their road.—Both appear great at a distance, but when we approach them we find they are far less insurmountable than we had conceived.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
I am one of those who think, like Nobel, that humanity will draw more good than evil from new discoveries.
—Marie Curie (1867–1934) Polish-born French Physicist, Chemist
No evil dooms us hopelessly except the evil we love, and desire to continue in, and make no effort to escape from.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
The urge to gamble is so universal and its practice so pleasurable that I assume it must be evil.
—Heywood Broun (1888–1939) American Journalist
No wickedness proceeds on any grounds of reason.
—Livy (Titus Livius) (59 BCE–17 CE) Roman Historian
The snake stood up for evil in the Garden.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Try to understand that there is more thoughtlessness than malice in the world. People are not out to offend you deliberately and maliciously. But all of us are thoughtless at times and do not readily realize that our words and actions are going to hurt people.
—Lawrence G. Lovasik
There is a method in man’s wickedness; it grows up by degrees.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Elizabethan Dramatist
The belief in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary; men alone are quite capable of every wickedness.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
Badness is only spoiled goodness.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
But evil is wrought by want of thought,
As well as want of heart.
—Thomas Hood (1799–1845) English Poet, Humorist
Many have puzzled themselves about the origin of evil. I am content to observe that there is evil, and that there is a way to escape from it, and with this I begin and end.
—John Newton (1725–1807) English Clergyman, Writer
May the forces of evil become confused on the way to your house.-
—George Carlin (1937–2008) American Stand-up Comedian
Non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
There are evils that have the ability to survive identification and go on for ever… money, for instance, or war.
—Saul Bellow (1915–2005) Canadian-American Novelist
The world needs anger. The world often continues to allow evil because it isn’t angry enough.
—Bede Jarrett (1881–1934) English Dominican Friar
Nature, more of a stepmother than a mother in several ways, has sown a seed of evil in the hearts of mortals, especially in the more thoughtful men, which makes them dissatisfied with their own lot and envious of another s.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
Evil spelled backward is live.
—Anonymous
Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
The love of evil is the root of all money.
—U.S. Proverb
In avoiding the appearance of evil, I am not sure but I have sometimes unnecessarily deprived myself and others of innocent enjoyments.
—Rutherford B. Hayes (1822–93) President of the United States
The devil is God’s ape!
—Martin Luther (1483–1546) German Protestant Theologian
If the devil could be persuaded to write a bible, he would title it, “You Only Live Once.”
—Sydney J. Harris (1917–86) American Essayist, Drama Critic
The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal. From the viewpoint of our legal institutions and of our moral standards of judgment, this normality was much more terrifying than all the atrocities put together.
—Hannah Arendt (1906–75) German-American Philosopher, Political Theorist
There can be no existence of evil as a force to the healthy-minded individual.
—William James (1842–1910) American Philosopher, Psychologist, Physician
There is no evil that does not offer inducements. Avarice promises money; luxury, a varied assortment of pleasure; ambition, a purple robe and applause. Vices tempt you by the rewards which they offer.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Between two evils, choose neither; between two goods, choose both.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Evil acts of the past are never rectified by evil acts of the present.
—Lyndon B. Johnson (1908–73) American Head of State, Political leader
One uncooperative employee can sabotage an entire organization because bad spirit is more contagious than good spirit.
—Robert Half