What reward could there be for a good deed? The reward has already been received in the form of the joy which a human being had experienced by doing a good deed. Any other reward decreases this joy.
The one who does something good for another does even more good for himself—not in the sense that he will receive a reward, but in the sense that the consciousness of having done a good deed already gives one great joy.
— Seneca
There was a holy man who prayed to God about people thus: “Oh, God! Have mercy on those who are evil, for you have already been merciful to the good: they are well because they are good.”
— Saadi
To do good while demanding a reward means to destroy the effect and the power of goodness.
— From “Devout Thoughts”
The favors that others do for us very often fade without a trace, but the favors we do for others will always leave a mark.
— From “Devout Thoughts”
Do not let your left hand know what your right hand does.
— Matthew 6:3
Some people expect rewards or gratitude for doing someone else a favor; others might not expect rewards or gratitude, but they still do not forget what they have done, and they consider the people for whom they have done it indebted to them. But true good is only good when it is done not for an ulterior reason, but for itself, and the one who has done it does not seek rewards, but does good in the manner of a fruit tree which, when it has grown its fruits, is wholly satisfied that they will be used by those who need them.
— After Marcus Aurelius
Treat people kindly, with the idea of turning their gratitude to account, and you will get, as you deserve, no gratitude, nor any value for your kindness; but treat them kindly without any economical purpose, and all economical purposes will be answered; in this, as in all other matters, whosoever will save his life shall lose it, whoso loses it shall find it.
— John Ruskin
Practice every virtue and avoid every vice. One virtue begets more virtues, one vice begets more vices. The reward for virtue is virtue, the punishment for vice is vice.
— Benchasai
It is a joy to do good. This joy is multiplied when you know that no one else knows about the good you have done.
