It's an ill battle where the devil carries the colours.

Meaning: When evil forces lead the fight, victory itself becomes a moral defeat for all sides involved.

Origin: From 'A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases' (1870). Public domain.

More proverbs about Challenge

• It's good to have company in trouble. — Shared hardship becomes more bearable through mutual support and the comfort of knowing y…
• They complain wrongfully of the sea, who twice suffer shipwreck. — Repeated misfortune from the same cause reveals poor judgment rather than bad luck.
• He that will not be counselled cannot be helped. — Resistance to advice ensures problems persist; help requires receptiveness to guidance.
• He covers me with his wings, and bites me with his bill. — A protector may simultaneously harm you through the very closeness required to defend you.
• A crooked tree will have a crooked shadow. — Flawed character inevitably produces flawed outcomes, just as a tree's deformity cannot c…
• Daylight will peep through a small hole. — Light finds its way through the tiniest opening, so truth and hope cannot be completely s…

← Back to Proverbs

Loading the full interactive collection…