They say is often a great liar.
—Common Proverb
Those who foretell the future lies, even if he tells the truth.
—Arabic Proverb
He who lies for you will lie about you.
—Arabic Proverb
The truth that survives is simply the lie that is pleasantest to believe.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
No lying knight or lying priest ever prospered in any age, but especially not in the dark ones. Men prospered then only in following an openly declared purpose, and preaching candidly beloved and trusted creeds.
—John Ruskin (1819–1900) English Writer, Art Critic
One of the most striking differences between a cat and a lie is that a cat has only nine lives.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Gradually I came to realize that people will more readily swallow lies than truth, as if the taste of lies was homey
—Martha Gellhorn (1908–98) American Novelist, Travel Writer, Journalist
There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics.
—Unknown
Nobody speaks the truth when there’s something they must have.
—Elizabeth Bowen (1899–1973) Irish Novelist, Short-story Writer
Lying and stealing are next door neighbors.
—Arabic Proverb
A truth that’s told with bad intent beats all the lies you can invent.
—William Blake (1757–1827) English Poet, Painter, Printmaker
The cruelest lies are often told in silence. A man may have sat in a room for hours and not opened his mouth, and yet come out of that room a disloyal friend or a vile calumniator.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
The middle of the road is where the white line is—and that’s the worst place to drive.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
Truth will lose its credit, if delivered by a person that has none.
—Robert South (1634–1716) English Theologian, Preacher
Whoever is detected in a shameful fraud is ever after not believed even if they speak the truth.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
It’s better to lie a little than to be unhappy.
—Japanese Proverb
If you want some lies to be believed wrap them up in truths.
—Danish Proverb
I do myself a greater injury in lying that I do him of whom I tell a lie.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Who does not in some sort live to others, does not live much to himself.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist
Time passes, and little by little everything that we have spoken in falsehood becomes true.
—Marcel Proust (1871–1922) French Novelist
A little inaccuracy sometimes saves tons of explanation.
—Saki (Hector Hugh Munro) (1870–1916) British Short Story Writer, Satirist, Historian
One man lies in his work, and gets a bad reputation; another in his manners, and enjoys a good one.
—Henry David Thoreau (1817–62) American Philosopher
I love you, and because I love you, I would sooner have you hate me for telling you the truth than adore me for telling you lies.
—Pietro Aretino (1492–1556) Italian Poet, Dramatist, Satirist
Hearsay is half lies.
—Dutch Proverb
Lies are sufficient to breed opinion, and opinion brings on substance.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Lie detectors may have some limited uses, but for sure one of them isn’t in the corporate hiring process. For the CIA, the FBI, the military’s supersecret areas, lie detectors may have some psychological value. As proof positive, for sure they are not. According to a recent New York Times article, Leading academic critics contend that lie detectors are lucky to be right 70% of the time and are often no better than chance. Pentagon officials stress that “no machine can detect a lie”; lie detectors can only detect stress, may well reflect fear, surprise or anger at the interrogation rather than guilt. … .
—Malcolm S. Forbes (1919–1990) American Publisher, Businessperson
This is the punishment of the liar, that when he tells the truth nobody believes him.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.
—Henry Stanley Haskins
Never chase a lie. Let it alone, and it will run itself to death. I can work out a good character much faster than any one can lie me out of it.
—Lyman Beecher (1775–1863) American Presbyterian Clergyman
He who is not very strong in memory should not meddle with lying.
—Michel de Montaigne (1533–92) French Essayist