Quotes About Ethics

Was it ever right to sacrifice one's truth for expedience?

I wanted to speak my conscience and have it matter.

Every man is guilty of all the good he didn't do.

No one had avenged the unnamed concubine. Jacob did not seek vengeance on Shechem. King David did not punish his son.

are." I had begun to feel the same way. When a student from Class 1 said, openly and unashamedly, that the unfortunate thing about losing the trivia game was that they had been caught cheating and should have cheated better, I wondered if it was possible that they had never been taught that lying was a bad thing. Perhaps they felt free to continue doing it as long as they could get away with it. Was

I wondered if it was possible that they had never been taught that lying was a bad thing.

The captured soldiers should be kindly treated and kept.

Confucius said, "People may have the finest talents, but if they are arrogant and stingy, their other qualities are not worthy of consideration.

Weapons are inauspicious instruments, not the tools of the enlightened. When there is no choice but to use them, it is best to be calm and free from greed, and not celebrate victory. Those who celebrate victory are bloodthirsty, and the bloodthirsty cannot have their way with the world.

These are: (1) the Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) the Commander; (5) method and discipline.

Traitez bien les prisonniers, nourissez-les comme vos propres soldats, afin qu'il se trouvent mieux chez vous qu'ils ne l'étaient dans leur propre camp ou dans leur patrie. (article II)

It is a matter of life and death, a road either to safety or to ruin. Hence it is a subject of inquiry which can on no account be neglected. 3.    The art of war, then, is governed by five constant factors, to be taken into account in one's deliberations, when seeking to determine the conditions obtaining in the field. 4.    These are: (1) The Moral Law; (2) Heaven; (3) Earth; (4) The Commander; (5) Method and discipline.

What is perhaps most characteristically Taoist about The Art of War in such a way as to recommend itself to the modern day is the manner in which power is continually tempered by a profound undercurrent of humanism.

Humanity and justice are the principles on which to govern a state, but not an army; opportunism and flexibility, on the other hand, are military rather than civic virtues.

Si vous répandez l'argent à pleines mains, si vous traitez bien tout le monde, si vous empêchez que vos soldats ne fassent le moindre dégât dans les endroits par où ils passeront, si les peuples vaincus ne souffrent aucun dommage, assurez-vous qu'ils sont déjà gagnés, et que le bien qu'ils diront de vous attirera plus de sujets à votre maître et plus de villes sous sa domination que les plus brillantes victoires.

El que se enfrenta al oponente durante varios años para luchar por la victoria en una batalla decisiva, pero que por su codicia y su anhelo de honores, permanece ignorante de la situación del oponente; está totalmente desprovisto de humanidad. Un hombre así no tiene nada de comandante, no es un apoyo para su soberano y no es el dueño de la victoria.

When the general is morally weak and his discipline not strict, when his instructions and guidance are not enlightened, when there are no consistent rules to guide the officers and men and when the formations are slovenly the army is in disorder.

There are five traps for a general: recklessness, cowardice, incendiary character, refinement of honor and the care for his own people

The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerely, benevolence, courage and strictness.

The Commander stands for the virtues of wisdom, sincerity, benevolence, courage and strictness.

existen cinco rasgos que son peligrosos en los generales. Los que están dispuestos a morir pueden perder la vida; los que quieren preservar la vida pueden ser hechos prisioneros; los que son dados a los apasionamientos irracionales pueden ser ridiculizados; los que son muy puritanos pueden ser deshonrados; los que son compasivos pueden ser turbados.

If one man slay another of set purpose, he himself may rightfully be slain. He who relies solely on warlike measures shall be exterminated; he who relies solely on peaceful measures shall perish

There are many reasons for a person to lie, but to have a reason to tell the truth, you much have a deep belief, and great courage.

You cannot repay evil with evil.