The adjective πονηρός ranges from physical toil ('oppressed by labors,' like Heracles described as 'most toilsome and best') to sorry condition ('useless allies,' 'a sorry horse') to moral evil. Toilsome works, injurious foods, and a bad beginning all use πονηρός. The phrase πονηρῶς ἔχειν means 'to be in bad case.' From physical hardship, the word slides into worthlessness and then to active wickedness. New Testament usage emphasizes the moral sense: the evil one, evil deeds, the evil heart. The semantic journey from 'toil-worn' to 'wicked' reflects Greek moral linking of suffering, dysfunction, and vice.