Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Related Quotes

Ways of the Righteous, fully The Ways of Righteousness NULL

Approval-seeking destroys one’s good deeds. Instead of doing the proper thing for its own sake, an approval-seeker will always focus on how others will react to what he is doing... Flattering wrongdoers is the root of much harm. It can lead to others emulating their misdeeds.

Character | Deeds | Focus | Good | Harm | Will |

Hotzoas Chochmah Umassar

Usually people are not envious of someone’s virtues, but of the honor the person receives for his virtues.

Character | Honor | People |

Alexander Ziskind Maimon

The only way to do good deeds without being motivated by the need for approval from others is to reach the level of considering praise and insults equal.

Character | Deeds | Good | Need | Praise | Deeds | Approval |

Saint Augustine, aka Augustine of Hippo, St. Austin, Bishop of Hippo NULL

It was pride that changed angels into devils; it is humility that makes men as angels.

Angels | Humility | Men | Pride | Wisdom |

Shmuel Tzvi of Alexander, fully Admor Shmuel Tzvi Dantziger from Alexander, aka Samuel Alexander

If a person is indecisive about which of two courses of action to take, the question to ask himself is: “Which choice will bring more honor to the Almighty?” The reply to this question is the path to choose.

Action | Character | Choice | Honor | Question | Will |

R. C. Allen, fully Robert Cameron Allen

Prejudice is thinking ill of others without sufficient warrant.

Prejudice | Thinking | Wisdom |

Marcus Aurelius, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus

This is a property of the rational soul, love of one’s neighbor, and truth and modesty, and to value nothing more than itself, which is also the property of Law. Thus then right reason differs not at all from the reason of justice.

Justice | Law | Love | Modesty | Nothing | Property | Reason | Right | Soul | Truth | Wisdom | Value |

Mark Twain, pen name of Samuel Langhorne Clemens

Each person is born to one possession which outvalues all the others - his last breath.

Character |

Solomon Ibn Verga

Who rushes love rushes hate.

Character | Hate | Love |

Ray Lyman Wilbur

Unless we think of others and do something for them, we miss one of the greatest sources of happiness.

Character | Wisdom | Think |

Marguerite De Valois, or Margaret of Valois, Marguerite de France

A woman of honor should not suspect another of things she would not do herself.

Character | Honor | Woman |

Morris Adler

There are those who are fearful to be alone with themselves. They run with the crowd not out of love for others but out of fear to remain alone with themselves, terrified lest they hear the voice of their own spirit, or fearful of remaining alone with their own void.

Fear | Love | Spirit | Wisdom |

John Greenleaf Whittier

When faith is lost, when honor dies, the man is dead.

Character | Faith | Honor | Man |

Alexander Ziskind Maimon

When a person who has some personal suffering sees others empathize with him, he feels a degree of relief.

Character | Suffering |

Marcus Aurelius, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus

Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live.

Destiny | Love | Wisdom |