no rest for the wicked
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English
Etymology
From the Book of Isaiah verses 48:22 and 57:20-21, originally Hebrew. First attested in English in 1535, in Coverdale Bible of Miles Coverdale.[1] Quoted in biblical sense for centuries, humorous secular sense popularized from 1930s, particularly due to use as title of popular Little Orphan Annie strip by Harold Gray in 1933.[1] According to rabbinical tradition, the word “wicked” refers only to king Nebuchadnezzar II and his descendants.[2]
Pronunciation
Audio (Southern England): (file)
Proverb
- (literally) Eternal torment in hell awaits sinners.
- (humorous) People who are wicked must work harder than normal people.
Usage notes
- Primarily used today for mild comic effect,[1] meaning "one must work (particularly because one has been lax)", as in Annie usage.
Translations
people who are wicked must work harder
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See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Gary Martin (1997–) “No rest for the wicked”, in The Phrase Finder, retrieved 26 February 2017.
- ^ Rashi on Isaiah 48:22:1