The ends justify the means

Meaning: A good outcome excuses questionable methods.

Origin: Attributed to Niccolò Machiavelli's The Prince (1532), though he never wrote it verbatim.

Translations

• French: La fin justifie les moyens (literally: The end justifies the means)
• Spanish: El fin justifica los medios (literally: The end justifies the means)
• Japanese: 目的のためには手段を選ばず (Mokuteki no tame ni wa shudan wo erabazu) (literally: For the goal, choose no means)

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