Cheaters DO prosper

A similar idea with an ironic twist can be traced back to the early 17th century in John Harington’s Epigrams: "Treason doth never prosper, what’s the reason? For if it prosper, none dare call it treason"

A common phrase in American during the early 1800s was "cheating never thrives".

In the 1900s the catch phrase changed to "cheaters never prosper".

It is not the case that only hard work prospers. Often as not, hard work leads to blisters and the poor house. Only in a liberal, but law and rules based, order do we seem to be able to prosper by our own hard work.