no rest for the wicked

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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. 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. According to rabbinical tradition, the word “wicked” refers only to king Nebuchadnezzar II and his descendants.

14 source translations are retained for this English entry.

• Chinese Mandarin: 惡人永無寧日 /恶人永无宁日 (èrén yǒngwúníngrì) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Finnish: jumalattomilla ei ole rauhaa — people who are wicked must work harder
• French: pas de repos pour les damnés — people who are wicked must work harder
• Irish: ní dual don diabhal bheith díomhaoin — people who are wicked must work harder
• Polish: nie ma przebacz — people who are wicked must work harder
• Polish: nie ma zmiłuj — people who are wicked must work harder
• Polish: nie ma zmiłuj się — people who are wicked must work harder
• Russian: дурна́я голова́ нога́м поко́я не даёт (durnája golová nogám pokója ne dajót) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Russian: бе́шеной соба́ке семь вёрст не крюк (béšenoj sobáke semʹ vjorst ne krjuk) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Russian: поко́й нам то́лько сни́тся (pokój nam tólʹko snítsja) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Russian: не продохну́ть (ne prodoxnútʹ) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Russian: дел невпроворо́т (del nevprovorót) — people who are wicked must work harder
• Scottish Gaelic: obair obair Fhearchair — people who are wicked must work harder
• Turkish: kötülere rahat yok — people who are wicked must work harder