The man of life upright has a guiltless heart, free from all dishonest deeds or thought of vanity.

When in doubt tell the truth.

Truth is the most valuable thing we have. Let us economize it.

The supreme quality for leadership is unquestionably integrity. Without it, no real success is possible, no matter whether it is on a section gang, a football field, in an army, or in an office.

An unexciting truth may be eclipsed by a thrilling lie.

People need good lies. There are too many bad ones.

The firm, the enduring, the simple, and the modest are near to virtue.

To say that authority, whether secular or religious, supplies no ground for morality is not to deny the obvious fact that it supplies a sanction.

I change my mind a lot. I usually don’t agree with what I say very much. I’m an awful liar.

My thing is this; if I’m sick enough to think it, then I’m sick enough to say it.

Let me define a leader. He must have vision and passion and not be afraid of any problem. Instead, he should know how to defeat it. Most importantly, he must work with integrity.

An act has no ethical quality whatever unless it be chosen out of several all equally possible.

The greatest tragedy in mankind’s entire history may be the hijacking of morality by religion.

We are justified in enforcing good morals, for they belong to all mankind; but we are not justified in enforcing good manners, for good manners always mean our own manners.

We ought to esteem it of the greatest importance that the fictions which children first hear should be adapted in the most perfect manner to the promotion of virtue.

Who sows virtue reaps honor.

If you want to get each individual’s honest opinion, you don’t want that opinion to be influenced by others who are present, much less allow a group to coordinate what they are going to say.

I believe in using words, not fists. I believe in my outrage knowing people are living in boxes on the street. I believe in honesty. I believe in a good time. I believe in good food. I believe in sex.

The rise of capitalist practice and morality brought with it a radical revision of how the commons are treated, and also of how they are conceived.

A good politician is quite as unthinkable as an honest burglar.

All men’s souls are immortal, but the souls of the righteous are immortal and divine.

A person should not be too honest. Straight trees are cut first and honest people are screwed first.

Violence is both unavoidable and unjustifiable.

We become just by performing just action, temperate by performing temperate actions, brave by performing brave action.

Man’s true nature being lost, everything becomes his nature; as, his true good being lost, everything becomes his good.

Many shoulder heavy burdens of righteous responsibility which, on occasion, seem so difficult to bear. I have heard those challenges termed impossible.

I stand by all the misstatements that I’ve made.

May be is very well, but Must is the master. It is my duty to show justice without recompense.

Life is about conduct and how we conduct ourselves. But two wrongs never make a right.

Whoever is careless with the truth in small matters cannot be trusted with important matters.

A gaffe in Washington is someone telling the truth, and telling the truth has never hurt me.

Those who have virtue always in their mouths, and neglect it in practice, are like a harp, which emits a sound pleasing to others, while itself is insensible of the music.

The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience.

I believe that economics is based on scarcity of markets. And it’s possible to monetize your art without compromising the integrity of it for commerce.

Justice consists in doing no injury to men; decency in giving them no offense.

All religions try to benefit people, with the same basic message of the need for love and compassion, for justice and honesty, for contentment.

It take many a year, mon, and maybe some bloodshed must be, but righteousness someday prevail.

Always be sincere, even if you don’t mean it.

A return to first principles in a republic is sometimes caused by the simple virtues of one man. His good example has such an influence that the good men strive to imitate him, and the wicked are ashamed to lead a life so contrary to his example.

One thing I hope I’ll never be is drunk with my own power. And anybody who says I am will never work in this town again.

Conscience is a man’s compass.

I never did give anybody hell. I just told the truth and they thought it was hell.

Don’t lie about anything, ever. Lying leads to Hell.

An Englishman thinks he is moral when he is only uncomfortable.

Effective action is always unjust.

The best way to keep one’s word is not to give it.

Morality is the herd-instinct in the individual.

One of my proudest moments is I didn’t sell my soul for the sake of popularity.

When I do good I feel good, when I do bad I feel bad, and that’s my religion.

I love that we can trust Barack to do what he says he’s going to do, even when it’s hard – especially when it’s hard.

The difference between a moral man and a man of honor is that the latter regrets a discreditable act, even when it has worked and he has not been caught.

I promised myself that I would write as well as I can, tell the truth, not to tell everything I know, but to make sure that everything I tell is true, as I understand it. And to use the eloquence which my language affords me.

No evil can happen to a good man, either in life or after death.

If the machine of government is of such a nature that it requires you to be the agent of injustice to another, then, I say, break the law.

There are few things more dishonorable than misleading the young.

I’m not trying to get myself up a notch on the ladder by shoving somebody else down on the ladder, whether it’s a candidate or the president of the United States or anybody else. I just don’t believe that’s the way one oughta campaign, I’ve never done that.

You must be afraid, my son. That is how one becomes an honest citizen.

It’s very hard to live with yourself if you don’t stick with your moral code.

No public man can be just a little crooked.

He who commits injustice is ever made more wretched than he who suffers it.

If you’re not going to be rewarded for your virtues, and instead you’re going to be punished for them, then what’s your motivation to continue?