Quotes About Ethics

It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous.

He is ill clothed that is bare of virtue.

Sin is not hurtful because it is forbidden, but it is forbidden because it's hurtful.

Use no hurtful deceit think innocently and justly and if you speak, speak accordingly.

It takes many good deeds to build a good reputation, and only one bad one to lose it.

Tricks and treachery are the practice of fools, that don't have brains enough to be honest.

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom. As nations get corrupt and vicious, they have more need of masters.

He that is the opinion money will do everything may well be suspected of doing everything for money.

Would you live with ease, Do what you ought, and not what you please.

Great beauty, great strength, and great riches are really and truly of no great use; a right heart exceeds all

Only a virtuous people are capable of freedom.

The rotten apple spoils his companions.

A truly great man will neither trample on a worm nor sneak to an emperor

Imitate Jesus and Socrates

Let no pleasure tempt thee, no profit allure thee, no ambition corrupt thee, to do anything which thou knowest to be evil; so shalt thou always live jollily; for a good conscience is a continual Christmas.

He is ill clothed, who is bare of virtue.

Don't throw stones at your neighbors', if your own windows are glass.

Tis hard for an empty bag to stand upright.

If you were a servant would you not be ashamed that a good master should catch you idle? Then if you are your own master be ashamed to catch yourself idle.

O vitae Philosophia dux! O virtutum indagatrix expultrixque vitiorum! Unus dies, bene et ex praeceptis tuis actus, peccanti immortalitati est anteponendus. translation (non-literal): O philosophy, life's guide! O searcher of virtues and expeller of vices! Just a single day lived well and according to your lessons is to be preferred to an eternity of errors. — Cicero, As quoted in Ben Franklin's Autobiography

If you eat one another, I don't see why we may not eat you.

nothing was useful which was not honest.

In the conduct of my newspaper, I carefully excluded all libeling and personal abuse, which is of late years become so disgraceful to our country

Conviction that it was out Interest to be completely virtuous, was not sufficient to prevent our Slipping...