As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
William ShakespeareRead
Talking isn't doing. It is a kind of good deed to say well; and yet words are not deeds.
Interpretation
Talking about good actions is not enough; actions are what truly matter.
This quote emphasizes the distinction between merely discussing intentions and actually taking action. While it can be positive to speak about good deeds, it is essential to recognize that words alone are insufficient; true value comes from following through with deeds and making a tangible impact in the world.
In practice
During a team meeting, to encourage everyone to contribute more than just ideas.
As honour, love, obedience, troops of friends, / I must not look to have; but, in their stead, / Curses, not loud but deep, mouth-honour, breath, / Which the poor heart would fain deny, and dare not" (5.3.25-28).
Love bears it out even to the edge of doom.
Good company, good wine, good welcome, can make good people.
Absence doth sharpen love, presence strengthens it; the one brings fuel, the other blows it till it burns clear.
Lord, Lord, how this world is given to lying!
Give it an understanding, but no tongue.
The principal point of cleverness is to know how to value things just as they deserve.
The temperament that produces a talent for little things is the opposite of that required for great ones.
It's not when you realize that nothing can help you β religion, pride, anything β it's when you realize that you don't need any aid.
It is a far worthier thing to read by the light of experience than to adorn oneself with the labors of others.
A man is crazy who writes a secret in any other way than one which will conceal it from the vulgar.
We are all responsible to Jesus first, and then, under him, to various other persons and offices. Discerning the path of love and obedience when two or more of these submissive relationships collide is a call to humble, Bible-saturated, spiritual wisdom.
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