A word is a deed.
Never say anything that you do not feel. Let your soul never be darkened by falsehood.
— From “Devout Thoughts”
Our enemies can be more useful to us than our friends, for our friends oftentimes forgive us our weaknesses, whereas our enemies usually point them out and draw our attention to them.
Do not ignore the judgements of your enemies.
Even the most scrupulous vanity, as long as it has a good understanding of itself, must see that there is no less merit in letting yourself be convinced than in convincing yourself, and that the former perhaps does more true honor to a human being because it requires a greater amount of self-denial and self-development than the latter.
— Kant
A wise human being does not ascribe importance to another for his words and does not disregard words just because they were uttered by someone insignificant.
— Chinese wisdom
The human tongue is a tool that is sufficient to transmit ideas that arise in the human mind; but in the sphere of true and deep feelings, it is but a weak translator.
— Kossuth
Every word has only the meaning that the listener is able to discern in it. You will not be able to clarify the meaning of honor to a dishonorable man, or of love to one foreign to it. By trying to reduce the meaning of those words to the level of comprehension, you will only reach the point where you will no longer have any words with which honor and love could be expressed.
— John Ruskin
No goal can ever justify a lie.
