Often the surest way to convey misinformation is to tell the strict truth.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Honesty is the cornerstone of character. The honest man or woman seeks not merely to avoid criminal or illegal acts, but to be scrupulously fair, upright, fearless in both action and expression. Honesty pays dividends both in dollars and in peace of mind.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Honesty is for the most part less profitable than dishonesty.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
To believe all men honest would be folly. To believe none so, is something worse.
—John Quincy Adams (1767–1848) American Head of State, Lawyer
It is not the criminal things that are hardest to confess, but the ridiculous and the shameful.
—Jean-Jacques Rousseau (1712–78) Swiss Philosopher, Writer, Composer
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
Make yourself an honest man, and then you may be sure that there is one less scoundrel in the world.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Writer
Rather fail with honor than succeed by fraud.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
Oh, what a tangled web we weave, when first we practice to deceive.
—Walter Scott (1771–1832) Scottish Novelist, Poet, Playwright, Lawyer
Integrity has no need of rules.
—Albert Camus (1913–60) Algerian-born French Philosopher, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist, Author
The trite saying that honesty is the best policy has met with the just criticism that honesty is not policy. The real honest man is honest from conviction of what is right, not from policy.
—Robert E. Lee (1807–70) American Military Leader, Engineer
Money dishonestly acquired is never worth its cost, while a good conscience never costs as much as it is worth.
—Jean Antoine Petit-Senn (1792–1870) Swiss Poet
The darkest hour in the history of any young man is when he sits down to study how to get money without honestly earning it.
—Horace Greeley (1811–72) American Elected Rep, Politician, Reformer, Editor
Honesty: The ability to resist small temptations.
—John Ciardi (1916–86) American Poet, Teacher, Etymologist, Translator
It is impossible to calculate the moral mischief, if I may so express it, that mental lying has produced in society. When a man has so far corrupted and prostituted the chastity of his mind as to subscribe his professional belief to things he does not believe he has prepared himself for the commission of every other crime.
—Thomas Paine (1737–1809) American Nationalist, Author, Pamphleteer, Radical, Inventor
He who unjustly hands over one man’s goods to another, he shall pay God for it with his own soul.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
A lie gets halfway around the world before the truth has a chance to get its pants on.
—Winston Churchill (1874–1965) British Head of State, Political leader, Historian, Journalist, Author
The truth is the only thing worth having, and, in a civilized life, like ours, where so many risks are removed, facing it is almost the only courageous thing left to do.
—E. V. Lucas (1868–1938) English Author, Historian
Man is least himself when he talks in his own person. Give him a mask, and he will tell you the truth.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet
Private and public life are subject to the same rules; and truth and manliness are two qualities that will carry you through this world much better than policy, or tact, or expediency, or any other word that was ever devised to conceal or mystify a deviation from the straight line.
—Robert E. Lee (1807–70) American Military Leader, Engineer
A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Lands mortgaged may return, but honesty once pawned is ne’er redeemed.
—Conyers Middleton (1683–1750) English Clergyman, Theologian
Honesty has a beautiful and refreshing simplicity about it. No ulterior motives. No hidden meanings. An absence of hypocrisy, duplicity, political games, and verbal superficiality. As honesty and real integrity characterize our lives, there will be no need to manipulate others.
—Chuck Swindoll (b.1934) American Christian Pastor, Author, Educator, Radio Personality
We tell lies when we are afraid… afraid of what we don’t know, afraid of what others will think, afraid of what will be found out about us. But every time we tell a lie, the thing that we fear grows stronger.
—Ted Williams (1918–2002) American Sportsperson
The true measure of life is not length, but honesty.
—John Lyly (1554–1606) English Dramatist, Novelist, Writer
Don’t accept that others know you better than yourself. Work joyfully and peacefully, knowing that right thoughts and right efforts will inevitably bring about right results.
—James Allen
He who lies for you will lie about you.
—Arabic Proverb
There can be no friendship without confidence, and no confidence without integrity.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
Like all valuable commodities, truth is often counterfeited.
—James Gibbons (1834–1921) American Catholic Religious Leader, Clergyman
When the thief has no opportunity to steal he considers himself an honest man.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
The truth is more important than the facts.
—Frank Lloyd Wright (1867–1959) American Architect
It is not the amount of trade that makes the man poor or rich, but honest working and dealing.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
If I can put one touch of a rosy sunset into the life of any man or woman, I shall feel that I have worked with God.
—George MacDonald (1824–1905) Scottish Christian Author, Poet, Minister
He that loseth his honesty hath nothing else to lose.
—John Lyly (1554–1606) English Dramatist, Novelist, Writer
Before I can live with other folks I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide by majority rule is a person’s conscience.
—Harper Lee (1926–2006) American Novelist
People who are brutally honest get more satisfaction out of the brutality than out of the honesty.
—Richard J. Needham (1912–96) Canadian Humorist, Columnist, Writer
An honest man’s word is as good as his bonds.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
The truth brings with it a great measure of absolution, always.
—R. D. Laing (1927–89) Scottish Psychiatrist
I saved a girl from being attacked last night. I controlled myself.
—Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004) American Comedian, TV Personality, Actor
If we put the emphasis upon the right things, if we live the life that is worth while and then fail, we will survive all disasters, we will out-live all misfortune. We should be so well balanced and symmetrical, that nothing which could ever happen could throw us off our center, so that no matter what misfortune should overtake us, there would still be a whole magnificent man or woman left after being stripped of everything else.
—Orison Swett Marden (1850–1924) American New Thought Writer, Physician, Entrepreneur
Truth is the most valuable thing we have, so I try to conserve it.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
We need not be afraid to touch, to feel, to show emotion. The easiest thing in the world is to be what you are, what you feel. The hardest thing to be is what other people want you to be. Don’t let them put you in that position.
—Leo Buscaglia (1924–98) American Motivational Speaker
On the soul’s appearance before the Divine Tribunal, the first question will be, “Hast thou been honest and faithful in all thy dealings? “
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Do not buy stolen goods.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
Honesty is the best policy. If I lose mine honor, I lose myself.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Everybody has a little bit of Watergate in him.
—Billy Graham (1918–91) American Baptist Religious Leader
There’s one way to find out if a man is honest – ask him. If he says, “Yes,” you know he is a crook.
—Groucho Marx (1890–1977) American Actor, Comedian, Singer
The shortest and surest way to live with honor in the world, is to be in reality what we would appear to be; and if we observe, we shall find, that all human virtues increase and strengthen themselves by the practice and experience of them.
—Socrates (469BCE–399BCE) Anceient Greek Philosopher
No mask like open truth to cover lies,|As to go naked is the best disguise.
—William Congreve (1670–1729) English Playwright, Poet
The cruelest lies are often told in silence.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Ninety-eight out of 100 of the rich men in America are honest. That is why they are rich.
—Russell Conwell (1843–1925) American Baptist Minister, Orator, Philanthropist, Lawyer, Academic
Respect for the truth is an acquired taste.
—Mark Van Doren (1894–1972) American Poet, Writer, Critic
Some so speak in exaggerations and superlatives that we need to make a large discount from their statements before we can come at their real meaning.
—Tryon Edwards American Theologian
Honesty is the best policy.
—Common Proverb
An Israelite is prohibited from deceiving even an idolater.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
The most worthy crown is a good reputation.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
When you accept yourself completely you do not have to maintain a phony front, drive yourself to “achieve” or feel insecure if people tune-in to you and what you are doing.
—Ken Keyes, Jr. (1921–95) American Motivational Speaker, Author, Lecturer
The hardest tumble a man can make is to fall over his own bluff.
—Ambrose Bierce (1842–1913) American Editor, Journalist, Short Story Writer, Satirist
Almost any difficulty will move in the face of honesty. When I am honest I never feel stupid. And when I am honest I am automatically humble.
—Hugh Prather (b.1938) American Christian Author, Minister, Counselor
Know the true value of time; snatch, seize, and enjoy every moment of it. No idleness; no laziness; no procrastination; never put off till to-morrow what you can do to-day.
—Earl of Chesterfield
An honest man is the noblest work of God.
—Alexander Pope (1688–1744) English Poet
All cruel people describe themselves as paragons of frankness.
—Tennessee Williams (1911–83) American Playwright
Confession is always weakness. The grave soul keeps its own secrets, and takes its own punishment in silence.
—Dorothy Dix (1861–1951) American Journalist, Columnist
Men are disposed to live honestly, if the means of doing so are open to them.
—Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826) American Head of State, Lawyer
Truth is mighty and will prevail. There is nothing the matter with this, except that it ain’t so.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Honesty is better than any policy.
—Immanuel Kant (1724–1804) Prussian German Philosopher, Logician
It is the confession, not the priest, that gives us absolution.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet
A few honest men are better than numbers.
—Oliver Cromwell (1599–1658) British Head of State, Military Leader
When we honestly ask ourselves which person in our lives mean the most to us, we often find that it is those who, instead of giving advice, solutions, or cures, have chosen rather to share our pain and touch our wounds with a warm and tender hand. The friend who can be silent with us in a moment of despair or confusion, who can stay with us in an hour of grief and bereavement, who can tolerate not knowing, not curing, not healing and face with us the reality of our powerlessness, that is a friend who cares.
—Henri Nouwen (1932–96) Dutch Catholic Priest, Writer, Theologian
Many people today don’t want honest answers insofar as honest means unpleasant or disturbing. They want a soft answer that turneth away anxiety.
—Louis Kronenberger (1904–80) American Critic, Novelist, Biographer, Dramatist