Of evil grain no good seed can come.
Meaning: Corrupt foundations yield only corrupt results; moral degradation cannot produce virtue.
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.
More proverbs about Challenge
- Of two evils choose the lesser. — When facing unavoidable harm, select the option causing minimum damage rather than suffer…
- If a man once fall, all will tread on him. — Misfortune invites exploitation; those already disadvantaged face renewed abuse from othe…
- The first blow is half the battle. — Taking decisive initial action often determines victory more than prolonged struggle afte…
- Fire and water are good servants but bad masters. — Both elements prove invaluable when controlled but destructive when allowed to dominate u…
- Well may he smell of fire whose gown burneth. — A person reeking of smoke has demonstrably experienced flames, so visible consequences pr…
- It's good fishing in troubled waters. — Exploiting chaos and confusion allows cunning people to gain unfair advantages over other…
From our tongue twisters
- Seize chaises sèches sur seize arches sèches. — A relentless collision of 'sei', 'sèch', and 's' — the tongue can't find traction.
- Un beau ver vert dans un verre vert verra un ver vert. — Ver (worm), vert (green), and verre (glass) are near-homophones — distinguishing them at…
- Didon dîna, dit-on, du dos d'un dodu dindon dont le dodu dos dodine. — A 'd' / 'din' / 'dod' avalanche that seems designed to jam the tongue in third gear.