Quotes About Integrity

A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.

He who seeks only coarse food to eat, water to drink, and bent arm for pillow, will without looking for it find happiness to boot. Any thought of accepting wealth and rank by means that I know to be wrong is as remote from me as the clouds that float above.

A man whoTreats his betters as betters,Wears an air of respect,Who into serving father and motherKnows how to put his whole strength,Who in the service of his prince will lay down his life,Who in intercourse with friends is true to his word—others may say of him that he still lacks education, but I for my part should certainly call him an educated man.

Silence is the true friend that never betrays.

First and foremost he must learn to be faithful to his superiors, to keep promises, to refuse the friendship of all who are not like him. And if he finds he has made a mistake, then he must not be afraid of admitting the fact and amending his ways.

He who rules by moral force is like the pole-star, which remains in its place while all the lesser stars do homage to it.

Wisdom, compassion, and courage are the three universally recognized moral qualities of men.

Neither the knight who has truly the heart of a knight nor the man of good stock who has the qualities that belong to good stock will ever seek life at the expense of Goodness; and it may be that he has to give his life in order to achieve Goodness.

Virtue is not left to stand alone. He who practices it will have neighbors.

The object of the superior man is truth.

Never do to others what you would not like them to do to you.

To know what is right and not do it is the worst cowardice.

The demands that a gentleman makes are upon himself; those that a small man makes are upon others.

He who is influenced neither by the soaking in of slander nor by the assault of denunciation may indeed be called illumined.

I for my part have never yet seen one who really cared for Goodness, nor one who really abhorred wickedness. One who really cared for Goodness would never let any other consideration come first. One who abhorred wickedness would be so constantly doing Good that wickedness would never have a chance to get at him.

You are there to rule, not to slay. If you desire what is good, the people will at once be good. The essence of the gentleman is that of wind; the essence of small people is that of grass. And when a wind passes over the grass, it cannot choose but bend.

He does not preach what he practices till he has practiced what he preaches.

He who merely knows right principles is not equal to him who loves them.

Silence is a friend who will never betray.

The determined scholar and the man of virtue will not seek to live at the expense of injuring their virtue. They will even sacrifice their lives to preserve their virtue complete.

The superior man acts before he speaks, and afterwards speaks according to his action.

The superior man cannot be known in little matters, but he may be entrusted with great concerns. The small man may not be entrusted with great concerns, but he may be known in little matters.

The superior man is modest in his speech, but excels in his actions.

To govern is to correct. If you set an example by being correct, who would dare remain incorrect?