Quotes About Values

They make their pride, he said, in making their dinner cost much; I make my pride in making my dinner cost little. When asked at table what dish he preferred, he answered, The nearest.

I am sure that there is greater anxiety, commonly, to have fashionable, or at least clean and unpatched clothes, than to have a sound conscience.

No man loses ever on a lower level by magnanimity on a higher. Superfluous wealth can buy superfluities only. Money is not required to buy one necessary of the soul.

Quanto ad adottare le soluzioni offerte dallo Stato per portare rimedio al male - io, quelle soluzioni, non le conosco: richiedono troppo tempo e un uomo morirebbe prima di riuscire a metterle in atto. Ho altre cose cui badare. Venni al mondo non principalmente per trasformarlo in un luogo buono dove vivere ma per vivervi, buono o cattivo che fosse. Un uomo non deve fare tutto, ma qualche cosa; e poiché tutto non lo può fare, non è necessario che faccia qualcosa di sbagliato.

Society is commonly too cheap.

Lieber als Liebe, als Geld, als Ruhm gebt mir Wahrheit. Ich saß an einem Tische, wo feine Weine und Speisen im Überfluss vorhanden waren, wo man mich sorgsam bediente, wo es aber keine Aufrichtigkeit und Wahrheit gab. Hungrig verließ ich ihren ungastlichen Tisch. Die Gastfreundschaft war so kalt wie das Gefrorene.

It is not so important that many should be good as you, as that there be some absolute goodness somewhere; for that will leaven the whole lump.

The tavern will compare favorably with the church.

The life which men praise and regard as successful is but one kind.

No man ever stood the lower in my estimation for having a patch in his clothes; yet I am sure that there is greater anxiety, commonly, to have fashionable, or at least clean and unpatched clothes, than to have a sound conscience.

The ways by which you get money almost without exception lead downward

There are nine hundred and ninety-nine patrons of virtue to one virtuous man.

It is truly enough said that a corporation has no conscience; but a corporation of conscientious men is a corporation with a conscience.

The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well? You

What is the price-current of an honest man and patriot to-day?

I would remind my countrymen, that they are to be men first, and Americans only at a late and convenient hour. No matter how valuable law may be to protect your property, even to keep soul and body together, if it do not keep you and humanity together.

Je souhaiterais rappeler à mes compatriotes qu'il sont avant tout des hommes, et qu'ils ne sont des Américains qu'en second lieu. Qu'importe une loi qui protège vos biens et qui préserve votre âme et votre corps, si elle ne vous maintient pas dans les rangs du genre humain.

The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior.

Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of too much life. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.

Muita gente se preocupa com os monumentos do ocidente e do oriente, quer saber quem os construiu. De minha parte, gostaria de saber quem nessa época deixou de construí-los, quem estava acima de tais ninharias.

There are nine hundred and ninety-nine patrons of virtue to one virtuous man; but it is easier to deal with the real possessor of a thing than with the temporary guardian of it.

Most men I do not meet at all, for they seem not to have time; they are busy about their beans.

Il est plus désirable de cultiver le respect du bien que le respect de la loi. Nous devons être d'abord des hommes et ensuite seulement des sujets

Will mankind never learn that policy is not morality--that it never secures any moral right, but considers merely what is expedient?