One should emulate works and deeds of virtue, not arguments about it.

[Ἔργα καὶ πρήξιας ἀρετῆς, οὐ λόγους, ζηλοῦν χρειών.]

Democritus (c. 460 BC - c. 370 BC) Greek philosopher

Frag. 55 (Diels) [tr. Bakewell (1907)]
    (Source)

Cited in Diels as "55. (121 N.) DEMOKRATES. 21"; collected in Joannes Stobaeus (Stobaios) Anthologium II, 15, 36. Bakewell lists this under "The Golden Sayings of Democritus." Freeman notes this as one of the Gnômae, from a collection called "Maxims of Democratês," but because Stobaeus quotes many of these as "Maxims of Democritus," they are generally attributed to the latter.

Alternate translations:

• "One should emulate the deeds and actions of virtue, not the words." [tr. Freeman (1948)]
• "One must emulate the deeds and actions fo virtue, not the words." [tr. Barnes (1987)]
• "It is necessary to envy the deeds of the work of virtue not the words." [tr. @sententiq (2018)]
• "Envy the deeds and actions of virtue, not the words." [Source]