There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience
Meaning: Peace of mind and restful sleep come only from living and acting honorably.
Origin: Known as a French proverb, in forms such as une bonne conscience est un doux oreiller — a good conscience is a soft pillow. No early source has been traced for the saying in either French or English.
Equivalents in French, Spanish, Japanese, and German
- French: Il n'y a pas d'oreiller si doux qu'une conscience tranquille (literally: There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience)
- Spanish: No hay almohada tan suave como una conciencia tranquila (literally: There is no pillow as soft as a clear conscience)
- Japanese: 清い良心ほど柔らかい枕はない (Kiyoi ryōshin hodo yawarakai makura wa nai) (literally: There is no pillow softer than a clear conscience)
- German: Ein gutes Gewissen ist ein sanftes Ruhekissen (literally: A good conscience is a soft resting-pillow)
More proverbs about Morality
- The more laws, the less justice — Excessive rules and regulations can undermine rather than promote fairness.
- Know thyself — Self-knowledge and self-awareness are the foundation of all wisdom and right living.
- Waste not, want not — Using things carefully and avoiding waste prevents future need and scarcity.
- Let the punishment fit the crime — Penalties should be proportional and appropriate to the offense committed.
- He who permits wickedness commands it — Silently allowing wrongdoing makes you as responsible as the wrongdoer.
- The truth is rarely pure and never simple — Reality is complex and nuanced; anyone claiming simple certainty should be viewed with sk…
From our tongue twisters
- Wenn Fliegen hinter Fliegen fliegen, fliegen Fliegen Fliegen nach. — Fliegen means 'flies' (insects), 'to fly', and 'flying' — all at once, relentlessly.
- Der Cottbuser Postkutscher putzt den Cottbuser Postkutschkasten. — A jaw-breaking compound-noun 'ts/tsch/sch' marathon — the German love of compound words w…
- Hinter Hermann Hannes Haus hängen hundert Hemden raus. — A relentless 'h' aspirate drill — every word opens with the same breathy attack.