The gods Grow angry with your patience. ‘Tis their care, And must be yours, that guilty men escape not: As crimes do grow, justice should rouse itself.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
The difference between guilt and shame is very clear—in theory. We feel guilty for what we do. We feel shame for what we are.
—Lewis B. Smedes (1921–2002) American Christian Theologian, Author
How guilt once harbour’d in the conscious breast , Intimidates the brave, degrades the great.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Let no guilty man escape, if it can be avoided. No personal consideration should stand in the way of performing a public duty.
—Ulysses S. Grant (1822–85) American Civil War General, Head of State
Let guilty men remember, their black deeds
Do lean on crutches made of slender reeds.
—John Webster (1580–1634) English Dramatist, Poet
He who denies his guilt doubles his guilt.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Whoever profits by the crime is guilty of it
—Unknown
Successful guilt is the bane of society
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
Moralists and philosophers have adjudged those who throw temptation in the way of the erring, equally guilty with those who are thereby led into evil
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
He who helps the guilty, shares the crime.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
He declares himself guilty who justifies himself before accusation.
—Common Proverb
Every man is guilty of all the good he didn’t do.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Haste, holy Friar,
Haste, ere the sinner shall expire!
Of all his guilt let him be shriven,
And smooth his path from earth to heaven!
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Seek to make a person blush for their guilt rather than shed their blood.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
However boldly their warm blood was spilt,
Their life was shame, their epitaph was guilt;
And this they knew and felt, at least the one,
The leader of the hand he had undone,—
Who, born for better things, had madly set
His life upon a cast, which linger’d yet.
—Lord Byron (George Gordon Byron) (1788–1824) English Romantic Poet
If all the world hated you, and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved you, and absolved you from guilt, you would not be without friends
—Charlotte Bronte (1816–1855) English Novelist, Poet
The guilty is he who meditates a crime; the punishment is his who lays the plot.
—Vittorio Alfieri (1749–1803) Italian Poet, Dramatist
Whatever guilt is perpetrated by some evil prompting, is grievous to the author of the crime. This is the first punishment of guilt that no one who is guilty is acquitted at the judgment seat of his own conscience.
—Juvenal (c.60–c.136 CE) Roman Poet
Guilt is a rope that wears thin.
—Ayn Rand (1905–82) Russian-born American Novelist, Philosopher
It is base to filch a purse, daring to embezzle a million, but it is great beyond measure to steal a crown. The sin lessens as the guilt increases.
—Friedrich Schiller (1759–1805) German Poet, Dramatist
Oh, she is fallen into a pit of ink that the wide sea hath drops too few to wash her clean again!
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
From the body of one guilty deed a thousand ghostly fears and haunting thoughts proceed.
—William Wordsworth (1770–1850) English Poet
If the soul is left in darkness, sins will be committed. The guilty one is not he who commits the sin, but he who causes the darkness.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
And then it started, like a guilty thing upon a fearful summons.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
We forget our guilt when we have confessed it to another, but the other does not usually forget it.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
The ghostly consciousness of wrong.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
All good men and women should be on their guard to avoid guilt, and even the suspicion of it.
—Plautus (Titus Maccius Plautus) (c.250–184 BCE) Roman Comic Playwright
The guilt being great, the fear doth still exceed.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Guilt is always jealous.
—John Ray (1627–1705) English Naturalist, Theologian
Punishment closely follows guilt as its companion.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
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