To every evil doer his evil day.
To every evil doer his evil day.
Meaning in plain English
Harmful conduct may eventually meet an unwelcome consequence. The evil day expresses an expectation of accountability, without proving that punishment always arrives or that people who suffer must have done wrong.
Example
A team documents repeated misuse of shared equipment and follows an agreed review process instead of waiting for the person to have bad luck.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The wrongdoer is imagined as having a day when things go badly for him. That reversal can express a wish that harmful actions not remain without consequence. In practice, accountability requires evidence, fair procedures and appropriate action; it cannot be left to a promise that misfortune will settle everything. The saying supplies neither a timetable nor proof of inevitable punishment. Most importantly, its direction should not be reversed: someone having a bad day is not evidence that they are a wrongdoer. Attend to conduct and its effects rather than judging character from luck.
When to use it
Use it to discuss accountability for established harmful conduct.
Keep in mind
Do not infer guilt from suffering or promise inevitable punishment; fair accountability depends on facts and process.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- A Polyglot of Foreign Proverbs (1857)
Printed page 193; Spanish section, paragraph 4037; source wording: A cada malo su dia malo.
Read the original context ↗ - Attribution confidence
- traditional · historical anthology
Preserved as printed; independently unverified. - Historical coordinate
- Undated
No reliable date supplied by the collection. - Rights & edition
- Public domain (United States)
Translations and rights may differ elsewhere.
Provenance and licences ↗