Explaining "Money earned by deceit, goes by deceit"

Reviewed and edited by

Lloyd Cooper 29/09/2024, 21:16

English.me team member

What does it mean?

This phrase suggests that money obtained through dishonest or deceitful means will often be lost just as easily and dishonestly.

Tone

Cautionary

Origin

The phrase is a modern adaptation of the biblical proverb "Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gathers little by little will increase it" (Proverbs 13:11), which conveys a similar moral about the transient nature of dishonestly gained wealth.

Examples of usage

John invested in a too-good-to-be-true scheme, and his money vanished overnight. As they say, "Money earned by deceit, goes by deceit."
After years of corrupt dealings, the businessman's fortune evaporated. It seems that "money earned by deceit, goes by deceit."