Ability without honor is useless.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
The giving of riches and honors to a wicked man is like giving strong wine to him that hath a fever.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
Honor’s a fine imaginary notion, that draws in raw and unexperienced men to real mischiefs.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
The louder he talked of his honor, the faster we counted our spoons.
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Always demanding the best of oneself, living with honor, devoting one’s talents and gifts to the benefits of others – these are the measures of success that endure when material things have passed away.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
Let the honor of thy fellow be as dear to thee as thine own.
—The Talmud Sacred Text of the Jewish Faith
It was just him and me. He fought with honor. If it weren’t for his honor, he and the others would have beaten me together. They might have killed me, then. His sense of honor saved my life. I didn’t fight with honor… I fought to win.
—Orson Scott Card (b.1951) American Author
To this noble end the delegates had pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.
—David McCullough (b.1933) American Historian
Your word can never be as good as your bond because your memory can never be as trustworthy as your honor.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
You will never do anything in this world without courage. It is the greatest quality of the mind next to honor.
—James Lane Allen (1849–1925) American Novelist, Short Story Writer
Be honorable with yourself if you wish to associate with honorable people.
—Welsh Proverb
Woman’s honor is nice as ermine; it will not bear a soil.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
The ultimate foundation of honor is the conviction that moral character is unalterable: a single bad action implies that future actions of the same kind will, under similar circumstances, also be bad.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
If people insist that honor is dearer than life itself, what they really mean is that existence and well-being are as nothing compared with other people’s opinions. Of course, this may be only an exaggerated way of stating the prosaic truth that reputation, that is, the opinion others have of us, is indispensable if we are to make any progress in the world.
—Arthur Schopenhauer (1788–1860) German Philosopher
Honor is like an island, rugged and without a landing-place; we can nevermore re-enter when we are once outside of it.
—Nicolas Boileau-Despreaux (1636–1711) French Poet, Satirist, Literary Critic
Honor is the reward of virtue.
—Cicero (106BCE–43BCE) Roman Philosopher, Orator, Politician, Lawyer
No one ever lost his honor, except he who had it not.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The instinct of nearly all societies is to lock up anybody who is truly free. First, society begins by trying to beat you up. If this fails, they try to poison you. If this fails too, the finish by loading honors on your head.
—Jean Cocteau (1889–1963) French Poet, Playwright, Film Director
Say not that honor is the child of boldness, nor believe thou that the hazard of life alone can pay the price of it: it is not to the action that it is due, but to the manner of performing it.
—Akhenaten (1378BCE–1348BCE) Egyptian Monarch, Religious Leader
Honor is the inner garment of the Soul; the first thing put on by it with the flesh, and the last it layeth down at its separation from it.
—Akhenaten (1378BCE–1348BCE) Egyptian Monarch, Religious Leader
Honor is simply the morality of superior men.
—H. L. Mencken (1880–1956) American Journalist, Literary Critic
Don’t look for more honor than your learning merits.
—Hebrew Proverb
Purity is the feminine, truth the masculine of honor.
—David Hare (b.1947) English Dramatist, Director, Film-Maker
It is not titles that honor men, but men that honor titles.
—Niccolo Machiavelli (1469–1527) Florentine Political Philosopher
Honor is unstable, and seldom the same; for she feeds upon opinion, and is as fickle as her food. She builds a lofty structure on the sandy foundation of the esteem of those who are of all beings the most subject to change.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Better not be at all than not be noble.
—Alfred, Lord Tennyson (1809–92) British Poet
Honor is not the exclusive property of any political party.
—Herbert Hoover (1874–1964) 31st American President
It is better to deserve honors and not have them than to have them and not deserve them.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable, but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
A hundred years cannot repair a moment’s loss of honor.
—Common Proverb
The fiery trials through which we pass will light us down in honor or dishonor to the last generation.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Why should honor outlive honestly?
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Do it no matter what. If you believe in it, it is something very honorable. If somebody around you or your family does not understand it, then that’s their problem. But if you do have a passion, an honest passion, just do it.
—Mario Andretti (b.1940) Italian-born American Sportsperson
Who sows virtue reaps honor.
—Leonardo da Vinci (1452–1519) Italian Polymath, Painter, Sculptor, Inventor, Architect
Because there is very little honor left in American life, there is a certain built-in tendency to destroy masculinity in American men.
—Norman Mailer (1923–2007) American Novelist Essayist
Would that the simple maxim, that honesty is the best policy, might be laid to heart; that a sense of the true aim of life might elevate the tone of politics and trade till public and private honor become identical.
—Margaret Fuller (1810–50) American Feminist, Writer, Revolutionary
Without money honor is merely a disease.
—Jean Racine (1639–1699) French Dramatist
Pay no attention to what the critics say. A statue has never been erected in honor of a critic.
—Jean Sibelius (1865–1957) Finnish Composer
An honor is not diminished for being shared.
—Lois McMaster Bujold (b.1949) American Novelist, Writer
I love the name of honor, more than I fear death.
—Julius Caesar (c.100–44BCE) Roman Statesman, Military General
Integrity is crucial for business success – once you can fake that, you’ve got it made.
—Henry Ford (1863–1947) American Businessperson, Engineer
How much better to pursue a straight course and eventually reach that destination where the things that are pleasant are the things that are honorable finally become, for you, the same.
—Seneca the Younger (Lucius Annaeus Seneca) (c.4 BCE–65 CE) Roman Stoic Philosopher, Statesman, Tragedian
Dignity consists not in possessing honors, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
When vice prevails, and impious men bear sway, the post of honor is a private station.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
He who does not honor his wife dishonors himself.
—Mexican Proverb
We laugh at honor and are shocked to find traitors in our midst.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
One may survive distress, but not disgrace.
—Scottish Proverb
There’s no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
A prophet is not without honor, save in his own country.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
That chastity of honor which felt a stain like a wound.
—Edmund Burke (1729–97) British Philosopher, Statesman