Honesty is the best policy; but he who acts on this principle is not an honest man.
Meaning: Truly honest people don't practice honesty as calculated strategy; they act righteously regardless of consequences or advantage.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Morality
- Hope is a good breakfast, but a bad supper. — Optimism fuels action during the day, but relying solely on wishes without results leaves…
- A good horse cannot be of a bad colour. — True worth transcends superficial appearance; judge merit by substance, not by external c…
- A good horse often wants a good spur. — Even capable people require motivation or external pressure to perform at their best pote…
- The ignorant think all things wrong which they cannot understand. — Fear of the unfamiliar breeds contempt; incomprehension masquerades as moral judgment in…
- He goes not out of his way that goes to a good inn. — Detours toward virtue are worthwhile journeys, not wasteful deviations from your path.
- He hath a good judgment who is apt to distrust his own. — Self-doubt in judgment reveals wisdom; overconfidence in one's own reasoning breeds folly…
From our tongue twisters
- Pad kid poured curd pulled cod. — Alternating repetition — the consonants swap at the start of every other word, which is w…
- Ехал Грека через реку, видит Грека — в реке рак. (Yekhal Greka cherez reku, vidit Greka — v reke rak.) — A rolling 'r/k' drill where Greka, reku and rak keep trading the same two consonants.
- От топота копыт пыль по полю летит. (Ot topota kopyt pyl po polyu letit.) — A 'p/t' hammering that imitates the hoofbeats it describes.