# Quotes about integrity - Quotes: 34 - Authors: 27 - Broader topic: [Quotes about morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md) - Topic page: https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity - JSON version (same data): https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.json ## Quotes > You speak now like a brave man and an honest man. Courage does not fear crime, and honesty does not fear authority. [Victor Hugo](https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo.md) · [Les Miserables](https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables.md) · p. 652 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/victor-hugo/les-miserables/you-speak-now.md) Topics: [courage](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/courage.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > You don’t just luck into integrity. You work at it. [Betty White](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-white.md) · [If You Ask Me](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-white/if-you-ask-me.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/betty-white/if-you-ask-me/you-dont-just.md) Topics: [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > Is honesty an achievement? Personality is one thing, achievement is another thing. So what has your father achieved? How much money is he leaving for you when he dies? Or is it his textbooks that you’ll collect and pass on to your own children? [Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani](https://www.leafyquotes.com/adaobi-tricia-nwaubani.md) · [I Do Not Come to You by Chance](https://www.leafyquotes.com/adaobi-tricia-nwaubani/i-do-not-come-to-you-by-chance.md) · p. 153 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/adaobi-tricia-nwaubani/i-do-not-come-to-you-by-chance/is-honesty-an-achievement.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > Trust and integrity are precious resources, easily squandered, hard to regain. They can thrive only on a foundation of respect for veracity. [Sissela Bok](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok.md) · [Lying](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok/lying.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok/lying/trust-and-integrity.md) Topics: [trust](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/trust.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > The role that one assigns to truthfulness will always remain central in considering what kind of person one wants to be—how one wishes to treat, not only other people, but oneself. [Sissela Bok](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok.md) · [Lying](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok/lying.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/sissela-bok/lying/the-role-that.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > The prosperity of all Arum might well hinge upon what we do here in this day... [If] Arum Chiefs are dishonorable men, who will ever come to these sacred mountains again with gold to deal with us? '''Take less, my sons, that ye may gain more. [David Eddings](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings.md) · [The Redemption of Althalus](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings/the-redemption-of-althalus.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/david-eddings/the-redemption-of-althalus/the-prosperity-of-all.md) Topics: [greed](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/greed.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > Katherine finds him too intimate with his co-legate; anyone who has spent much time with Wolsey, she thinks, no longer knows what honesty is. [Hilary Mantel](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel.md) · [Wolf Hall](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel/wolf-hall.md) · p. 132 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/hilary-mantel/wolf-hall/katherine-finds-him.md) Topics: [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > “Wh-who are you? And what do you want?” > > “Joseph Burns, a poor but honest newspaperman.” He considered for a moment. “Well, poor, anyway.” [William Tenn](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-tenn.md) · [Of All Possible Worlds](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-tenn/of-all-possible-worlds.md) · p. 105 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-tenn/of-all-possible-worlds/wh-who-are-you.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > Honor and honesty, compassion and truth are good even if they kill you, for they alone give life its dignity and worth. (Ch. 24) [William Alexander Percy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-alexander-percy.md) · [Lanterns On The Levee](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-alexander-percy/lanterns-on-the-levee.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-alexander-percy/lanterns-on-the-levee/honor-and-honesty.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [compassion](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/compassion.md), [dignity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/dignity.md), [honour](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/honour.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > You don’t do what’s right because you know it will work out. You do it because you know it’s right. [Jim C. Hines](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines.md) · [Revisionary](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/revisionary.md) · p. 213 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jim-c-hines/revisionary/you-dont-do-whats.md) Topics: [morality](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/morality.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > He won the governorship running as a Democrat, but proved to be unlike any Democrat or Republican that the state of Florida had ever seen. To the utter confusion of everyone in Tallahassee, Clinton Tyree turned out to be a completely honest man. (Chapter 10) [Carl Hiaasen](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-hiaasen.md) · [Double Whammy](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-hiaasen/double-whammy.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-hiaasen/double-whammy/he-won-the.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [politics](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/politics.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > His sin was something that scientists had done for thousands of years. Scientists didn’t usually change data, not unless they were outright charlatans. But when facts didn’t agree with theory, there was an awful temptation to find reasons for rejecting the offending data and and hanging on to the theory. Ptolemy had done it. Newton had done it. Darwin had done it. Einstein had done so explicitly. [Charles Sheffield](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield.md) · [Convergence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/convergence.md) · p. 353 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/charles-sheffield/convergence/his-sin-was.md) Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > Sometimes the cost of integrity is the loss of a friend. [Jack Mcdevitt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt.md) · [Odyssey](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/odyssey.md) · p. 69 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/odyssey/sometimes-the-cost.md) Topics: [friendship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/friendship.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > He would make a good manager, but he had a little too much integrity to survive in a top job. [Jack Mcdevitt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt.md) · [The Engines Of God](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/the-engines-of-god.md) · p. 161 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jack-mcdevitt/the-engines-of-god/he-would-make.md) Topics: [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > There are honest people in the world, but only because the devil considers their asking prices ridiculous. [Peter S. Beagle](https://www.leafyquotes.com/peter-s-beagle.md) · [A Fine and Private Place](https://www.leafyquotes.com/peter-s-beagle/a-fine-and-private-place.md) · p. 135 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/peter-s-beagle/a-fine-and-private-place/there-are-honest.md) Topics: [humor](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/humor.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > What does it really mean when such a young person moves to another phyle? It means that they have outgrown youthful credulity and no longer wish to belong to a tribe simply because it is the path of least resistance—they have developed principle, they are concerned with their personal integrity. [Neal Stephenson](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neal-stephenson.md) · [The Diamond Age](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neal-stephenson/the-diamond-age.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/neal-stephenson/the-diamond-age/what-does-it-really.md) Topics: [growing up](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/growing-up.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > " we know that there can never be any solid friendship between individuals, or union between communities that is worth the name, unless the parties be persuaded of each others honesty," [Thucydides](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thucydides.md) · [History of the Peloponnesian War](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thucydides/history-of-the-peloponnesian-war.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/thucydides/history-of-the-peloponnesian-war/we-know-that.md) Topics: [friendship](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/friendship.md), [trust](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/trust.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > A pure hand needs no glove to cover it. [Nathaniel Hawthorne](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nathaniel-hawthorne.md) · [The Scarlet Letter](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-scarlet-letter.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/nathaniel-hawthorne/the-scarlet-letter/a-pure-hand.md) Topics: [innocence](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/innocence.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > “You have bettered yourself,” he said, making such a low bow that the tassel of his cap swept the carpet. “You may recall that I invariably affirmed you would. Honesty, integrity, and intelligence cannot be kept down.” > > “We both know that nothing is easier to keep down,” I said. “By my old guild, they were kept down every day.” [Gene Wolfe](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe.md) · [The Citadel of the Autarch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe/the-citadel-of-the-autarch.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/gene-wolfe/the-citadel-of-the-autarch/you-have-bettered.md) Topics: [irony](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/irony.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > It is easy for most of us to keep our hands from picking and stealing when picking and stealing plainly lead to prison diet and prison garments. But when silks and satins come of it, and with the silks and satins general respect, the net result of honesty does not seem to be so secure. [Anthony Trollope](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope.md) · [The Prime Minister](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope/the-prime-minister.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope/the-prime-minister/it-is-easy.md) Topics: [money](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/money.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > He was not so anxious to prove himself right, as to be so. [Anthony Trollope](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope.md) · [The Warden](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope/the-warden.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/anthony-trollope/the-warden/he-was-not.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > "A house can have integrity, just like a person; and just as seldom." [Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Fountainhead](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-fountainhead.md) · p. 140 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-fountainhead/a-house-can.md) Topics: [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md), [architecture](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/architecture.md) > "I want a good hotel, and I have certain standards of what is good, and they're my own, and you're the one who can give me what I want. And when I fight for you, I’m doing—on my side of it—just what you do when you design a building. Do you think integrity is the monopoly of the artist? And what, incidentally, do you think integrity is? The ability not to pick a watch out of your neighbor’s pocket? No, it's not as easy as that. If that were all, I'd say ninety-five percent of humanity were honest, upright men. Only, as you can see, they aren't. Integrity is the ability to stand by an idea. That presupposes the ability to think. Thinking is something one doesn't borrow or pawn. […] Don't worry. They're all against me. But I have one advantage: they don't know what they want. I do." [Ayn Rand](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand.md) · [The Fountainhead](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-fountainhead.md) · p. 333 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ayn-rand/the-fountainhead/i-want-a-good.md) Topics: [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > The game must be played, and played their way, though they made all the rules and had all the skill. His ineptitude did not matter. His honesty did. He was staked now totally on one belief: that an honest man cannot be cheated, that truth, if the game be played through right to the end, will lead to truth. [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin.md) · [City Of Illusions](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/city-of-illusions.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/ursula-k-le-guin/city-of-illusions/the-game-must.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > So I have just one wish for you—the good luck to be somewhere where you are free to maintain the kind of integrity I have described, and where you do not feel forced by a need to maintain your position in the organization, or financial support, or so on, to lose your integrity. May you have that freedom. [Richard P. Feynman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman.md) · [Surely You're Joking Mr Feynman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman/surely-youre-joking-mr-feynman.md) · p. 346 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman/surely-youre-joking-mr-feynman/so-i-have.md) Topics: [freedom](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/freedom.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > The only way to have real success in science, the field I'm familiar with, is to describe the evidence very carefully without regard to the way you feel it should be. If you have a theory, you must try to explain what's good and what's bad about it equally. In science, you learn a kind of standard integrity and honesty. [Richard P. Feynman](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman.md) · ['What Do You Care What Other People Think?'](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman/what-do-you-care-what-other-people-think.md) · p. 217 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/richard-p-feynman/what-do-you-care-what-other-people-think/the-only-way.md) Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > I have never felt that anything really mattered but the satisfaction of knowing that you stood for the things in which you believed and had done the very best you could. (8 November 1944) [Eleanor Roosevelt](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eleanor-roosevelt.md) · [My Day](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eleanor-roosevelt/my-day.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/eleanor-roosevelt/my-day/i-have-never.md) Topics: [beliefs](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/beliefs.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > The integrity of the experimenters in the face of this unexpected finding is breathtaking. (It is difficult to imagine any experiment that would convince leading practitioners of many political or religious philosophies of the superiority of a competing doctrine.) [Carl Sagan](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan.md) · [Dragons of Eden](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/dragons-of-eden.md) · p. 210 — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/carl-sagan/dragons-of-eden/the-integrity-of-the.md) Topics: [science](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/science.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > I have never in my life met a man like him for noble simplicity, and boundless truthfulness. I understood from the way he talked that anyone who chose could deceive him, and that he would forgive anyone afterwards who had deceived him, and that was why I grew to love him. [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky.md) · [The Idiot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-idiot.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-idiot/i-have-never.md) Topics: [simplicity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/simplicity.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > I consider you the most honest and truthful of men, more honest and truthful than anyone; and if they say that your mind...that is, that you're sometimes afflicted in your mind, it's unjust. I made up my mind about that, and disputed with others, because, though you really are mentally afflicted (you won't be angry with that, of course; I'm speaking from a higher point of view), yet the mind that matters is better in you than in any of them. It's something, in fact, they have never dreamed of. For there are two sorts of mind: one that matters, and one that doesn't matter. [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky.md) · [The Idiot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-idiot.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-idiot/i-consider-you.md) Topics: [reason](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/reason.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > I think any hardship is better than pretending to do what one is paid for, and never really doing it. [George Eliot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot.md) · [Middlemarch](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/middlemarch.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/middlemarch/i-think-any.md) Topics: [work](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/work.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > But veracity is a plant of paradise, and the seeds have never flourished beyond the walls. [George Eliot](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot.md) · [Romola](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/romola.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/george-eliot/romola/but-veracity-is-a-plant.md) Topics: [truth](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/truth.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > I would rather have him a shoemaker than a poet, I would rather he paved streets than painted flowers on china. "But," you will say, "policemen, spies, and hangmen are useful people." There would be no use for them if it were not for the government. But let that pass. I was wrong. It is not enough to choose an honest trade, it must be a trade which does not develop detestable qualities in the mind, qualities incompatible with humanity. To return to our original expression, "Let us choose an honest trade," but let us remember there can be no honesty without usefulness. [Jean Jacques Rousseau](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau.md) · [Emile; or On Education](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/jean-jacques-rousseau/emile-or-on-education/i-would-rather.md) Topics: [work](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/work.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md) > '''In art honesty is not only the best but the only policy. [William Somerset Maugham](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham.md) · [The Razor's Edge](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/the-razors-edge.md) — [Quote page](https://www.leafyquotes.com/william-somerset-maugham/the-razors-edge/in-art-honesty.md) Topics: [art](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/art.md), [integrity](https://www.leafyquotes.com/topics/integrity.md)