keqja

Keqja is the Albanian noun for evil, wrongdoing, or harm. It denotes moral badness, suffering caused by malicious acts, or misfortune, and is used in ethics, theology, literature, and everyday speech. It is usually contrasted with e mira, the good.

The term is formed from the adjective keq meaning bad, with the definite suffix -ja, yielding "keqja," meaning "the bad" or "the evil." A closely related noun is keqësia, used for the abstract concept of evilness or wrongdoing.

In usage, keqja appears in philosophical and religious discourse to discuss moral evil, as well as in prose and poetry to describe crimes or cruelty. It is common in Albanian proverbs and narratives that portray the struggle between good and evil. In contemporary language, it can refer to both intentional wrongdoing and harmful circumstances.

The concept plays a role in ethical discussions, social critique, and cultural storytelling, where communities consider the causes and consequences of harm, and the responsibilities needed to oppose or rectify it.

See also: e mira; keqësia; morality.