Look for no reward in goodness but goodness itself.
—Unknown
What is good? All that enhances the feeling of power, the Will to Power, and the power itself in man. What is bad? All that proceeds from weakness. What is happiness? The feeling that power is increasing—that resistance has been overcome. Not contentment, but more power; not peace at any price, but war; not virtue, but competence. The first principle of our humanism: The weak and the failures shall perish. They ought even to be helped to perish.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Be not simply good; be good for something.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The greater part of what my neighbors call good I believe in my soul to be bad, and if I repent of anything, it is very likely to be my good behavior. What demon possessed me that I behaved so well? You may say the wisest thing you can, old man,—you who have lived seventy years, not without honor of a kind,—I hear an irresistible voice which invites me away from all that.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
The last temptation is the greatest treason: to do the right deed for the wrong reason.
—T. S. Eliot (1888–1965) American-born British Poet, Dramatist, Literary Critic
Goodness and greatness go not always together.
—Unknown
Only happy people can learn. Only happy people can teach. Our religion should put a sparkle in our eyes and a tone in our voice, and a spring in our step that bears witness of our faith and confidence in the goodness of God.
—Unknown
The first idea that the child must acquire, in order to be actively disciplined, is that of the difference between good and evil; and the task of the educator lies in seeing that the child does not confound good with immobility, and evil with activity.
—Maria Montessori (1870–1952) Italian Physician, Educator
Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. Even if it’s a little thing; do something for those who have need of a man’s help, something for which you get no pay but privilege of doing it. For remember, you don’t live in a world all your own. Your brothers live here, too.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may seem, am satisfied that it does not agree with my constitution.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
If goodness were only a theory, it were a pity it should be lost to the world. There are a number of things, the idea of which is a clear gain to the mind. Let people, for instance, rail at friendship, genius, freedom, as long as they will—the very names of these despised qualities are better than anything else that could be substituted for them, and embalm even the most envenomed satire against them.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
It may be necessary temporarily to accept a lesser evil, but one must never label a necessary evil as good.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A good heart will help you to a bonny face, my lad and a bad one will turn the bonniest into something worse than ugly.
—Emily Bronte (1818–48) English Novelist, Poet
If you pretend to be good, the world takes you very seriously. If you pretend to be bad, it doesn’t. Such is the astounding stupidity of optimism.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
When you see a good man, think of emulating him; when you see a bad man, examine your own heart.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Non-cooperation with evil is a sacred duty.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Talking much is a sign of vanity, for the one who is lavish with words is cheap in deeds.
—Walter Raleigh (1552–1618) English Courtier, Navigator, Poet
Don’t be afraid to give your best to what seemingly are small jobs. Every time you conquer one it makes you that much stronger. If you do the little jobs well, the big ones tend to take care of themselves.
—Dale Carnegie (1888–1955) American Self-Help Author
There are few good women who do not tire of their role.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Never say anything to hurt anyone. Moreover … refrain from double talk, from shrewd and canny remarks that are designed to advance our interests at someone’s disadvantage. We are to turn our back upon evil, and in every way possible, do good, help people and bring blessings into their lives.
—Norman Vincent Peale (1898–1993) American Clergyman, Self-Help Author
By desiring what is perfectly good, even when we do not quite know what it is, and cannot do what we would, we are part of the divine power against evil, widening the skirts of light and making the struggle with darkness narrower.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
Good order is the foundation of all good things.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman
A man, to be greatly good, must imagine intensely and comprehensively; he must put himself in the place of another and many others; the pains and pleasures of his species must become his own. The great instrument of moral good is the imagination.
—Percy Bysshe Shelley (1792–1822) English Poet, Dramatist, Essayist, Novelist
Though it is possible to utter words only with the intention to fulfill the will of God, it is very difficult not to think about the impression which they will produce on men and not to form them accordingly. But deeds you can do quite unknown to men, only for God. And such deeds are the greatest joy that a man can experience.
—Leo Tolstoy (1828–1910) Russian Novelist
Goodness is achieved not in a vacuum, but in the company of other men, attended by love.
—Saul Bellow (1915–2005) Canadian-American Novelist
It is not enough merely to exist. It’s not enough to say, “I’m earning enough to support my family. I do my work well. I’m a good father, husband, churchgoer.” That’s all very well. But you must do something more. Seek always to do some good, somewhere. Every man has to seek in his own way to realize his true worth. You must give some time to your fellow man. Even if it’s a little thing, do something for those who need help, something for which you get no pay but the privilege of doing it. For remember, you don’t live in a world all your own. Your brothers are here too.
—Albert Schweitzer (1875–1965) French Theologian, Musician, Philosopher, Physician
To deprive a man of his natural liberty and to deny to him the ordinary amenities of life is worse then starving the body; it is starvation of the soul, the dweller in the body.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
He is good that does good to others. If he suffers for the good he does, he is better still; and if he suffers from them to whom he did good, he has arrived to that height of goodness that nothing but an increase of his sufferings can add to it; if it proves his death, his virtue is at its summit; it is heroism complete.
—Jean de La Bruyere (1645–96) French Satiric Moralist, Author
In dreams the truth is learned that all good works are done in the absence of a caress.
—Leonard Cohen (1934–2016) Canadian Singer, Songwriter, Poet, Novelist
Good and bad men are less than they seem.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
Nothing is so good as it seems beforehand.
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
He who loves goodness harbors angels, reveres reverence, and lives with God.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
To be doing good deeds is man’s most glorious task.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
To an honest mind, the best perquisites of a place are the advantages it gives for doing good.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
It is only great souls that know how much glory there is in being good.
—Sophocles (495–405 BCE) Ancient Greek Dramatist
As I know more of mankind I expect less of them, and am ready to call a man a good man upon easier terms than I was formerly.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad, and that is my religion.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
A good picture is equivalent to a good deed.
—Vincent van Gogh (1853–90) Dutch Painter
To become a good man, one must have faithful friends, or outright enemies.
—Napoleon I (1769–1821) Emperor of France
Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
What makes saintliness in my view, as distinguished from ordinary goodness, is a certain quality of magnanimity and greatness of soul that brings life within the circle of the heroic.
—Harriet Beecher Stowe (1811–96) American Abolitionist, Author
When you can do the common things of life in an uncommon way, you will command the attention of the world.
—George Washington Carver (1864–1943) American Scientist, Botanist, Educator, Inventor
Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world.
—Desmond Tutu (b.1931) South African Clergyman
Reason teaches us that what is good is good for something, and that what is good for nothing is not good at all.
—F. H. Bradley (1846–1924 ) British Idealist Philosopher
Beauty endures only for as long as it can be seen; goodness, beautiful today, will remain so tomorrow.
—Sappho (c.630–c.580 BCE) Greek Poet
Though language forms the preacher, ‘Tis “good works” make the man.
—Eliza Cook (1818–89) English Author, Poet, Writer
He that does good to another, does good also to himself, not only in the consequences, but in the very act; for the consciousness of well doing is, in itself, ample reward.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Those who shine in the second rank, are eclipsed by the first.
—French Proverb