If you dine with the devil by choice, do not resist him by consequence. - Proverb • Quote

“ If you dine with the devil by choice, do not resist him by consequence. ” - TemQBS -

Quote Interpretations:

• 'Choices Carry Obligations' — To “dine with the devil by choice” is to knowingly engage in wrongdoing, vices, corruption, or compromise for personal gain. When consequences arrive; guilt, punishment, harmful repercussions, or moral decay, you cannot credibly resist them. In other words, if you willingly align yourself with harmful forces, you must accept the outcomes that naturally follow. Moral accountability begins at the moment of choice, not at the moment of consequence.

• On a psychological level, the proverb speaks to 'self-betrayal'. The “devil” represents temptation; power, pleasure, validation, or shortcuts. Choosing to engage reshapes your inner compass. Resistance later becomes difficult because the boundary was already crossed. In other words, once you justify compromising your values, your mind adapts to it. The consequences feel unavoidable not because fate is cruel, but because you trained yourself to accept them.

• Social and Power Dynamics — Socially, the proverb addresses 'alliances with dangerous power'. "To dine with the devil" is to benefit from unjust systems, toxic relationships, or oppressive structures. When those forces demand loyalty, silence, or repayment, resistance becomes costly or impossible. Succinctly, if you voluntarily benefit from corrupt systems, you lose the moral authority to reject their demands later. Participation creates entanglement.

“ Voluntary compromise removes the right to protest inevitable consequences. ”

- TemQBS’ Thought