ProverbMoralityEnglish origin

Knavery may serve for a turn, but honesty is best in the long run.

Meaning: Dishonest shortcuts yield temporary gains but ultimately destroy trust and prosperity.

Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.

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