"No good deed goes unpunished"?!

Question

I don't understand this saying. Is it saying good deeds usually result in unwanted consequences? I do'nt get this. Is it being cynical? Is there a (good) morale in this?

CalifJim · Accepted Answer

AnonymousIs it saying good deeds usually result in unwanted consequences?

Yes and no. It says that good deeds are not necessarily viewed as good deeds by others. No matter how hard you try to do the right thing, somebody will see something bad about it and criticize you for it.

AnonymousI ~~do'nt~~ don't get this.

It's a joke.

AnonymousIs it being cynical?

Yes.

AnonymousIs there a (good) morale in this?

No. There is no "moral to the story" here. As I said, it's a joke because it's a play on the usual wording.
The usual thing to say is "No good deed goes unrewarded".

Here's another one. The usual form is: "I'd rather be poor and healthy than rich and sick."
But you can buy a little sign to put on your desk at the office, as a conversation piece, something that attracts attention, which reads, "I'd rather be rich and healthy than poor and sick".

CJ

Doctor D · Answer

Yes, this is a cynical statement. It suggests that you will get in trouble whenever you do a good deed, because the people you help may take advantage of you. Or others may think badly of you.
This is usually said in a situation where bad luck follows upon well-meaning behavior. For example:

He turned in a wallet that he found, but everyone suspected that he stole it in the first place because all the cash was missing. Like they say, "no good deed goes unpunished."

The non-cynical proverb would be "virtue is its own reward." (That is, doing good is personally rewarding regardless of whether you get anything else out of it).

I hope this helps.

Anonymous · Answer

"No. There is no "moral to the story" here. As I said, it's a joke because it's a play on the usual wording.
The usual thing to say is "No good deed goes unrewarded""

Thank you, thank you, thank you. It made so much sense now. I'm so happy that I finally got this saying. You are awesome. Thank you, you have no idea. Thank you so so much that I would name my first child after you if I ever have one. Thank you.

CalifJim · Answer

AnonymousI would name my first child after you if I ever have one.

Too late. A friend of mine has already done that. She named her second boy CJ. Christopher James.

Of course I use California Jim on the forum, but you don't want that for heaven's sake!

CJ

Anonymous · Answer

Christopher James. I like the sound of that!

"No good deed goes unpunished"?!

Top answer

Get the Weekly English Kit 📬

Related Questions