Welcome to Virtuous Quotes, a sanctuary of wisdom and inspiration where timeless words echo the virtues that enrich our lives. In the vast landscape of human existence, certain quotes stand as beacons, guiding us towards moral clarity, inner strength, and spiritual growth. Whether penned by ancient philosophers, revered leaders, or modern thinkers, these quotes encapsulate the essence of virtue, offering solace, guidance, and encouragement to those who seek them.
Within these pages, you’ll discover a treasure trove of profound insights and uplifting sentiments that illuminate the path towards a more virtuous life. From reflections on courage and compassion to musings on integrity and resilience, each quote serves as a reminder of the enduring power of virtue in shaping our character and influencing our choices. As you delve into these timeless words, may you find inspiration to cultivate the virtues that elevate humanity and foster a deeper sense of connection and purpose in your own journey. Embrace these quotes as companions on your quest for wisdom and enlightenment, and let their wisdom illuminate your path to a life well-lived. Now, without further ado, let the journey into virtue begin.
Belief fails when it works not well indeed but is idle as a sleeping man… Each virtuous deed is strong when it is grounded upon the solidity of belief. John Wycliffe
To err is human; but contrition felt for the crime distinguishes the virtuous from the wicked. Vittorio Alfieri
There is a lust in man no charm can tame: Of loudly publishing his neighbor’s shame: On eagles wings immortal scandals fly, while virtuous actions are born and die. William Harvey
We are carrying these images out into the world, and we can’t control how people contextualize those images no matter how virtuous our aspirations and our intentions are. Barry Jenkins
Virtue is something you have to get good at, like playing the trombone or tolerating bores at parties. Being a virtuous human being takes practice; and those who are brilliant at being human (what Christians call the saints) are the virtuosi of the moral sphere – the Pavarottis and Maradonas of virtue. Terry Eagleton
Let no man under value the price of a virtuous woman’s counsel. George Chapman
I grew up in Christianity. They preach a lot that you should get married and be a wife and be a virtuous woman and all of that. So I was so eager to do that, and I didn’t really take the time I needed to grow into my own. And I ended up running into a really bad situation. I didn’t even really date my ex-husband. We just kind of jumped into it. La’Porsha Renae
There is nothing nicer than playing someone who is cooler, tougher, more virtuous and sexier than yourself and thinking, ‘I can be anyone.’ Jason Isaacs
Powerful states can maintain themselves only by crime, little states are virtuous only by weakness. Mikhail Bakunin
I thank God that I can say on my death bed that I am a virtuous woman. Belle Boyd
It is a revenge the devil sometimes takes upon the virtuous, that he entraps them by the force of the very passion they have suppressed and think themselves superior to. George Santayana
Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences and try to learn from their mistakes. Harry Browne
To meditate is to familiarise our mind constantly and thoroughly with a virtuous object. Kelsang Gyatso
The person who talks most of his own virtue is often the least virtuous. Jawaharlal Nehru
No one can doubt that the sufferings of the sober, virtuous woman, in legal subjection to the mastership of a drunken, immoral husband and father over herself and children, not only from physical abuse, but from spiritual shame and humiliation, must be such as the man himself can not possibly comprehend. Susan B. Anthony
It takes about four days of virtuous living to create a little weight loss. That also happens to be the time required to get used to eating less. In other words, if you can get past day three of a fitness regimen, things improve. Martha Beck
I do not know if she was virtuous, but she was ugly, and with a woman that is half the battle. Heinrich Heine
Because of the diverse conditions of humans, it happens that some acts are virtuous to some people, as appropriate and suitable to them, while the same acts are immoral for others, as inappropriate to them. Thomas Aquinas
Innocence is not virtue. Virtue demands the active employment of an ardent mind in the promotion of the general good. No man can be eminently virtuous who is not accustomed to an extensive range of reflection. William Godwin
Obstacles may retard, but they cannot long prevent the progress of a movement sanctioned by its justice and sustained by a virtuous people. Jefferson Davis
When the venerable pontiff’s hour has come, a Roman of good age shall be elected, of whom it will be said that he dishonored his throne though he held it long, with virtuous acts. Nostradamus
Would not obeying to my mother’s warnings, who is at least 25 years older than me, be returning to the past? And rebelling against her would mean ruining my mother’s, who, I am convinced that, is a virtuous high woman, heart and evaluations. I do not find this right, either. Mustafa Kemal Ataturk
To be a clergyman, and all that is compassionate and virtuous, ought to be the same thing. Samuel Richardson
There is something so mean and unmanly in the arts of dissimulation and falsehood that I am surprised they can be used by anyone in so noble, so generous a passion as virtuous love. Robert Burns
What do I owe to my times, to my country, to my neighbors, to my friends? Such are the questions which a virtuous man ought often to ask himself. Johann Kaspar Lavater
Be virtuous in thought and in deed. God has planted in you, for a purpose, a divine urge which may be easily subverted to evil and destructive ends. Gordon B. Hinckley
I take it to be from the greatest extremes, both in virtue and in vice, that the uniformly virtuous and reformed in life can derive the greatest and most salutary truths and impressions. Deborah Sampson
The generality of virtuous women are like hidden treasures, they are safe only because nobody has sought after them. Francois de La Rochefoucauld
It is obvious that different individuals require different things to live good, healthy, and virtuous lives. Tom G. Palmer
I beg my Children to be just and virtuous, never to disgrace my name or theirs, and then they are out of fortune’s power. Thomas Willis
The world has never yet seen a truly great and virtuous nation because in the degradation of woman the very fountains of life are poisoned at their source. Lucretia Mott
The decadent international but individualistic capitalism in the hands of which we found ourselves after the war is not a success. It is not intelligent. It is not beautiful. It is not just. It is not virtuous. And it doesn’t deliver the goods. John Maynard Keynes
In fact, it is a farce to call any being virtuous whose virtues do not result from the exercise of its own reason. Mary Wollstonecraft
Tutors who make youth learned do not always make them virtuous. Samuel Richardson
Do not have evil-doers for friends, do not have low people for friends: have virtuous people for friends, have for friends the best of men. George Santayana
There is no freedom without groceries. There are no groceries without freedom. What people call ‘capitalism’ and ‘socialism’ are actually one and inseparable. It’s a virtuous circle. Rick Perlstein
The pit of a theatre is the one place where the tears of virtuous and wicked men alike are mingled. Denis Diderot
He who is void of virtuous attachments in private life is, or very soon will be, void of all regard for his country. There is seldom an instance of a man guilty of betraying his country, who had not before lost the feeling of moral obligations in his private connections. Samuel Adams
At Camfed, we have focused on transforming the vicious cycle of poverty in many rural African communities into a cycle of opportunity. Alumnae of Camfed’s programs go on to become role models and mentors for future generations of young students. We call this the ‘virtuous circle,’ and we know this is a model that works. Ann Cotton
It is a grand mistake to think of being great without goodness and I pronounce it as certain that there was never a truly great man that was not at the same time truly virtuous. Benjamin Franklin
I think the ‘counterculture’ believes that there are ways to manage being the world’s most powerful country that involve creation of consensus – ruling by virtuous example rather than by force of arms. John Perry Barlow
People must have righteous principals in the first, and then they will not fail to perform virtuous actions. Martin Luther
I am not virtuous. Our sons will be if we shed enough blood to give them the right to be. Jean-Paul Sartre
Laziness can be virtuous in the right setting, I guess. Michael McDonald
There is no cure for the pride of a virtuous nation but pure religion. Reinhold Niebuhr
All the rights secured to the citizens under the Constitution are worth nothing, and a mere bubble, except guaranteed to them by an independent and virtuous Judiciary. Andrew Jackson
You can be a virtuous person without faith in God. Bill Bennett
Virtuous people often revenge themselves for the constraints to which they submit by the boredom which they inspire. Confucius
In our view, successful reform is not an event. It is a sustainable process that will build on its own successes – a virtuous cycle of change. Abdullah II of Jordan
I love to feature children and young adults as real people – flawed, naive, virtuous, venal – but real. I think it adds nuance and depth to the stories that wouldn’t exist without them. C. J. Box
The word nationalism, to most people, has a virtuous whiff; historically, it’s been conflated with terms like patriotism and loyalty and solidarity with one’s civic tribe. Neil Macdonald
People romanticize struggle and obscurity, and I get that, but it’s a very one-dimensional argument to say that people who have money are evil, and artists who are poor are virtuous. Shepard Fairey
As virtuous men pass mildly away, and whisper to their souls to go, whilst some of their sad friends do say, the breath goes now, and some say no. John Donne
There has never been any country at every moment so virtuous and so wise that it has not sometimes needed to be saved from itself. Havelock Ellis
Investing is a virtuous habit best started as early as possible. John C. Bogle
If we seek things that are virtuous and lovely, we surely will find them. Conversely, if we seek for evil, we will find that also. Joseph B. Wirthlin
I think I am more attracted to characters with a subtext, whatever that is and they don’t necessarily have to be virtuous, but they have to at least be human. Clive Owen
My Constanze is the virtuous, honourable, discreet, and faithful darling of her honest and kindly-disposed Mozart. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Being virtuous is wonderful thing, but feeling virtuous is a shortcut to vice. Julian Baggini
Companies that grow create wealth. This, in turn, allows people to have jobs that create more growth and more wealth. It’s a virtuous cycle. Lloyd Blankfein
I would inevitably get the girls who were interested in me because I was the guy from E.T. It was kind of tough. I can’t deny ever capitalizing upon it but on the whole in my teens I was pretty virtuous. Henry Thomas
Shaming people into being virtuous doesn’t change behaviour. Jaan Tallinn
Be virtuous and you will be vicious. Samuel Butler
The fact is that a man who wants to act virtuously in every way necessarily comes to grief among so many who are not virtuous. Niccolo Machiavelli
Laws don’t really restrain people. Ninety-eight percent of people follow a virtuous course with or without laws. Rand Paul
I focus on projects I am passionate about and only work with people I respect. Without these supportive teams, partners and clients, I could never work on so many things. I am fortunate that they see the value in the multiplicity of my work and how it all comes together in a kind of virtuous cycle. Imran Amed
What the statesman is most anxious to produce is a certain moral character in his fellow citizens, namely a disposition to virtue and the performance of virtuous actions. Aristotle
If children are expected to be honest, parents must be honest. If children are expected to be virtuous, parents must be virtuous. If you expect your children to be honorable, you must be honorable. James E. Faust
The love of power, like the love of money, increases with the possession of it; and we know in what ruin these baneful passions have involved human societies in all ages when they have been let loose and suffered to rage uncontrolled – There is no restraint like the pervading eye of the virtuous citizens. Samuel Adams
What we want to do is call attention to the fact that when workers and business work together, when you create a stakeholder model of corporate governance, where you understand that you can do well by your workers, you can do well by your shareholders and you can do well by your customers, that’s how we create a virtuous cycle. Tom Perez
I’ve come to learn there is a virtuous cycle to transparency and a very vicious cycle of obfuscation. Jeff Weiner
I’m not a vegetarian. But I think people who are vegetarians, they are actually more virtuous than the rest of us. I think they should be admired. Tyler Cowen
The vicious circle has been shattered. Canadians now enjoy the benefits of the virtuous circle. Paul Martin
I suggest Substituting Inedible Nurturance, or SIN. Don’t replace overeating with virtuous work or exercise; instead, make a list of things you love, from watching TV to hanging out with favorite people. Martha Beck
Myths have a certain staying power because, really, they are aspirational – not always who we are, but always who we want to be. We see ourselves as good and generous. We believe we are a virtuous nation. Richard Cohen
A duty is to be chosen from what is virtuous, and from what is useful, and also from the comparison of the two, one with the other; but nothing is recognized by Christians as virtuous or useful which is not helpful to the future life. Saint Ambrose
Nothing we do, however virtuous, can be accomplished alone; therefore we are saved by love. Reinhold Niebuhr
Modesty in dress and language and deportment is a true mark of refinement and a hallmark of a virtuous Latter-day Saint woman. Ezra Taft Benson
If venereal delight and the power of propagating the species were permitted only to the virtuous, it would make the world very good. James Boswell
Most plain girls are virtuous because of the scarcity of opportunity to be otherwise. Maya Angelou
Pursuing economic sustainability by creating a virtuous cycle of growth and distribution is the kind of new capitalism that I am aiming for. Fumio Kishida
All the dark, malevolent Passions of the Soul are roused and exerted; its mild and amiable affections are suppressed; and with them, virtuous Principles are laid prostrate. Charles Inglis
I believe that we all have a responsibility to give back. No one becomes successful without lots of hard work, support from others, and a little luck. Giving back creates a virtuous cycle that makes everyone more successful. Ron Conway
By the time we see that climate change is really bad, your ability to fix it is extremely limited… The carbon gets up there, but the heating effect is delayed. And then the effect of that heat on the species and ecosystem is delayed. That means that even when you turn virtuous, things are actually going to get worse for quite a while. Bill Gates
What innocence, may I ask, is being played here when it is known that this virtuous damsel has already got a dozen illegitimate children? Nikita Khrushchev
Even in decline, a virtuous man increases the beauty of his behavior. A burning stick, though turned to the ground, has its flame drawn upwards. Saskya Pandita
Employing more women at all levels of a company, from new hires to senior leaders, creates a virtuous cycle. Companies become more attuned to the needs of their female employees, improving workplace culture while lowering attrition. Susan Wojcicki
If we are too friendly to nice, decent bishops, we run the risk of buying into the fiction that there’s something virtuous about believing things because of faith rather than because of evidence. We run the risk of betraying scientific enlightenment. Richard Dawkins
Among this country’s enduring myths is that success is virtuous, while the wealth by which we measure success is incidental. We tell ourselves that money cannot buy happiness, but what is incontrovertible is that money buys stuff, and if stuff makes you happy, well, complete the syllogism. Rumaan Alam
The repression of virtuous instinct in the modern world is an incremental tragedy. Repress one instinct, and you repress many; other parts of consciousness go down, also. Michael Leunig
Because just as arms have no force outside if there is no counsel within a house, study is vain and counsel useless that is not put to virtuous effect when the time calls. Francois Rabelais
All art is a struggle to be, in a particular sort of way, virtuous. Iris Murdoch
The most virtuous women have something within them, something that is never chaste. Honore de Balzac
Sexual harassment on the job is not a problem for virtuous women. Phyllis Schlafly
There are few virtuous women who are not bored with their trade. Francois de La Rochefoucauld
I like to think of myself as a virtuous troll. Milo Yiannopoulos
Hollywood wants its heroes to be virtuous, but it defines virtue in a way that excludes any action that is self-interested. If virtue means putting others ahead of self, then it’s clear that most people, let alone most capitalists, aren’t very virtuous. Alex Tabarrok
Now this relaxation of the mind from work consists on playful words or deeds. Therefore it becomes a wise and virtuous man to have recourse to such things at times. Thomas Aquinas
A mark of stupidity is a belief that one party is totally virtuous and correct on the issues while the other is evil and always wrong. Steve Schmidt
It may not have the virtuous ring of the golden rule, but the maxim ‘never say never’ is one of the most important in ethics. Julian Baggini
