The tempter is the greater rogue.
Meaning: Temptation's instigator bears more moral culpability than the person succumbing to their cunning manipulation.
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 Wisdom
- When I have thatched his house he would throw me down. — Ingratitude punishes generosity: helping someone complete their security makes them bold…
- All are not thieves that dogs bark at. — Not everyone accused or suspected deserves condemnation; accusations alone don't prove gu…
- The horse thinks one thing, and he that rides him another. — Intentions diverge between those who control and those controlled; agreement cannot be as…
- He that sows nothing plants thistles. — Idleness naturally produces harmful consequences; neglecting to cultivate goodness invite…
- The thorn comes forth with his point forwards. — Wickedness announces itself boldly through its inherent nature rather than concealing har…
- He that handles thorns shall prick his fingers. — Careless engagement with dangerous things inevitably causes self-inflicted harm.
From our tongue twisters
- Si six scies scient six cyprès, six cents scies scient six cents cyprès. — An 's' / 'si' minefield.
- 赤パジャマ黄パジャマ茶パジャマ (Aka pajama, ki pajama, cha pajama) — A rapid-fire drill on colour words; the syllable shift from aka/ki/cha trips the tongue b…
- 坊主が屏風に上手に坊主の絵を描いた (Bōzu ga byōbu ni jōzu ni bōzu no e o kaita) — A sustained 'b' and long-vowel drill — bōzu/byōbu/jōzu demand precise mouth control.