Wherefore, O Jove, didst thou instruct mankind
How to distinguish by undoubted marks
Counterfeit gold, yet in the front of vice
Impress no brand to shew the tainted heart?
[tr. Wodhull (1782)]

O Jove, why hast thou given us certain proof
To know adulterate gold, but stamp'd no mark,
Where it is needed most, on man's base metal?
[tr. Potter (1814)]

Oh Zeus why hast thou given mankind sure test
To know the spurious gold, while upon men
Is no mark born whereby to tell a knave?
[tr. Webster (1868)]

O Zeus! why hast thou granted unto man clear signs to know the sham in gold, while on man's brow no brand is stamped whereby to gauge the villain's heart?
[tr. Coleridge (1891)]

O Jove, why I pray hast thou given to men certain proofs of the gold which is adulterate, but no mark is set by nature on the person of men by which one may distinguish the bad man.
[tr. Buckley (1892)]

O Zeus, ah wherefore hast thou given to men
Plain signs for gold which is but counterfeit,
But no assay-mark nature-graven shows
On man's form, to discern the base withal?
[tr. Way (Loeb) (1894)]

O great God, shall gold withal
Bear thy clear mark, to sift the base and fine,
And o'er man's living visage runs no sign
To show the lie within, ere all too late?
[tr. Murray (1906)]

O God, you have given to mortals a sure method
Of telling the gold that is pure from the counterfeit;
Why is there no mark engraved upon men's bodies
By which we could know the true ones from the false ones?
[tr. Warner (1944)]

O Zeus! Why have you given us clear signs to tell
True gold from counterfeit; but when we need to know
Bad men from good, the flesh bears no revealing mark?
[tr. Vellacott (1963)]

Zeus, why did you give to men clear signs
To distinguish counterfeit gold from true, but as for
Humans, no stamp is impressed on their bodies
By which the bogus ones can be discerned?
[tr. Podlecki (1989)]

O Zeus, why, when you gave to men sure signs of gold that is counterfeit, is there no mark on the human body by which one could identify base men?
[tr. Kovacs (Loeb) (1994)]

O Zeus, why is it you have given men clear ways of testing whether gold is counterfeit but, when it comes to men, the body carries no stamp of nature for distinguishing bad from good?
[tr. Davie (1996)]

Oh Zeus! You gave such obvious signs for men to tell the difference between genuine gold and fake and yet you gave not a hint for people to tell who’s a good man and who an evil one!
[tr. Theodoridis (2004)]

Oh Zeus! Why have you given us a clear test
of gold to tell which is counterfeit
but of men — where to identify an evil one would be useful —
there is no such mark on his body?
[tr. Luschnig (2007)]

Oh Zeus, why have you given us clear signs to tell if gold has been adulterated, but tehre's no sign upon the body of a man by which we can find out who's evil?
[tr. Ewans (2022)]

Why, Zeus? Why did you give to men clear ways of knowing the counterfeited gold, while on men’s body no brand [kharaktēr] is stamped by which to know the kakos?
[tr. Coleridge / Ceragioli / Nagy / Hour25]

O Zeus, why, when you gave to men sure signs of gold that is counterfeit, is there no mark on the human body by which one could identify bad men?
[tr. Kovacs / Zhang / Rogak]

For the good man's duty
Is to obey the dread behests of justice,
And ever punish those who act amiss.
[tr. Wodhull (1809)]

For it belongs to a good man to minister justice, and always and in every case to punish the bad.
[tr. Edwards (1826)]

For 'tis the good man's part to champion right,
And everywhere and aye to smite the wrong.
[tr. Way (Loeb) (1894)]

This, this is virtue: to do justice still,
Requiting evil every way with ill.
[tr. Sheppard (1924)]

For it is always a good man's duty to help the right, and to punish evil-doers wherever found.
[tr. Coleridge (1938)]

Do your duty as a man of honor:
see justice done. Punish this murder.
[tr. Arrowsmith (1958)]

A good man is just, he'll punish the bad.
[tr. McGuinness (2004)]

A good man commits himself to justice and combats the wicked in whatever place.
[tr. Harrison (2005)]

Do your duty. Mete out justice.
Punish this heinous crime against gods and man.
[tr. Karden/Street (2011)]

For it is right that a good man serve justice
And always do evil everywhere to evil men.
[tr. @sentantiq (2020)]

Such must he be for all the world, that is truly simple and good, as he whose arm-holes are offensive, that whosoever stands by, as soon as ever he comes near him, may as it were smell him whether he will or no.
[tr. Casaubon (1634), 11.14]

I would have Honesty so incorporated with the Constitution, so mixed up with the Blood and Spirits, that it should be discoverable by the Sences, and as easily distinguish'd as Rankness, or a strong Breath; so that a Man must be forced to find it out whether he would or no.
[tr. Collier (1701)]

The man of simplicity and goodness should, in this, resemble such as have a disagreeable smell in their arm-pits; his disposition should be perceived by all who approach him, whether they will or not.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

A truly good and sincere man should be so palpably such, that no one could be a moment in his company or approach him, without being sensibly and necessarily convinced of it.*
*The expression in the original is rather coarse; which the translators have rather heightened than shorted as they might have done.
[tr. Graves (1792)]

The man who is honest and good ought to be exactly like a man who smells strong, so that the bystander as soon as he comes near him must smell whether he choose or not.
[tr. Long (1862)]

Goodness, true and simple, should be like musk, so redolent that, will-he nill-he, every one who draws near perceives its fragrance.
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

The straightforward, good man should be like one of rank odour who can be recognised by the passer by as soon as he approaches, whether he will or no.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

The simple and good man should in fact be like a man who has a strong smell about him, so that, as soon as ever he comes near, his neighbour is, will-he nill-he, aware of it.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

The simple and good man ought to be entirely such, like the unsavoury man, that those who stand by detect him at once, whether he will or not, as soon as he comes near.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

Sincerity and goodness ought to have their own unmistakable odor, so that one who encounters this becomes straightaway aware of it despite himself.
[tr. Staniforth (1964)]

A good and honest man should be so right through, like one who smells like a goat, so that anyone who comes near him is immediately aware of it whether he wishes it or not.
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

A straightforward, honest person should be like someone who stinks: when you're in the same room as them, you know it.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

In short, the good and honest man should have the same effect as the unwashed -- anyone close by as he passes detects the aura, willy-nilly, at once.
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

In short, a good and honest person should resemble one who smells like a goat in this respect, that anyone who comes near him is immediately aware of it whether he wishes it or not.
[tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]

A person who is honest and good is immediately seen as such even by people who were not looking for any such assurance.
[tr. McNeill (2019)]

For perhaps it is not the same thing to be a good man, and a good citizen.
[tr. Taylor (1818), 5.2]

It may be it is not the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen in every case.
[tr. Chase (1847), 5.4]

The perfection of the man is not perhaps in all cases identical with the perfection of the citizens.
[tr. Williams (1869), 5.2]

It is possibly not the same thing in all cases to be a good man and to be a good citizen.
[tr. Welldon (1892), 5.5]

It is possible that to be a good man is not the same as to be a good citizen of any state whatever.
[tr. Peters (1893), 5.2]

Perhaps it is not the same to be a good man and a good citizen of any state taken at random.
[tr. Ross (1908), 5.2]

It would seem that to be a good man is not in every case the same thing as to be a good citizen.
[tr. Rackham (1934), 5.2.11]

For being a good man is presumably not in every case the same as being a good citizen.
[tr. Reeve (1948)]

For perhaps to be a good man is not the same as to be a good citizen in every case.
[tr. Apostle (1975)]

Presumably it is not always the same thing to be a good man and a good citizen.
[tr. Thomson/Tredennick (1976)]

For, presumably, being a good man is not the same as being every sort of good citizen.
[tr. Irwin/Fine (1995)]

For, presumably, being a good person is not in every case the same as being a good citizen.
[tr. Crisp (2000)]

For perhaps it is not the same thing in every case to be a good man and to be a good citizen.
[tr. Bartlett/Collins (2011)]

To be a saint is the exception; to be upright is the rule. Err, falter, sin, but be upright.
[tr. Wilbour (1862); Wilbour / Fahnestock / MacAfee (1987)]

To be a saint is the exception, to be a just man is the rule. Err, fail, sin, but be just.
[tr. Wraxall (1862)]

To be a saint is the exception; to be an upright man is the rule. Err, fall, sin if you will, but be upright.
[tr. Hapgood (1887)]

To be a saint is to be an exception; to be a true man is the rule. Err, fail, sin if you must, but be upright.
[tr. Denny (1976)]

Not every great man is a grand human being.
[tr. Wister (1883)]

If 'tis a Happiness to be nobly descended, 'tis no less to have so much Merit, that no body inquires whether we are so or no.
[Curll ed. (1713)]

If it is a Happiness to be nobly Descended it is not a less to have so much Merit, that no body enquires whether we are so or no.
[Browne ed. (1752)]

If it be a happiness to be of noble parentage, it is no less so to possess so much merit that nobody inquires whether we are noble or plebeian.
[tr. Van Laun (1885)]

A well-born man is fortunate, but so is the man about whom people no longer ask, is he well-born?
[tr. Stewart (1970)]

Now he is the basest of men who practises vice not only in his own person, but towards his friends also; but he the best who practises virtue not merely in his own person but towards his neighbour, for this is a matter of some difficulty.
tr. Chase (1847), ch. 2]

Worst of men is he whose wickedness affects not himself alone but his fellow with him; best of men is he whose virtue affects not himself alone but his fellow with him; for such a one has in all sooth a hard task.
[tr. Williams (1869)]

As then the worst of men is he who exhibits his depravity both in his own life and in relation to his friends, the best of men is he who exhibits his virtue not in his own life only but in relation to others; for this is a difficult task.
[tr. Welldon (1892)]

Now the worst man is he who exercises his wickedness both towards himself and towards his friends, and the best man is not he who exercises his virtue towards himself but he who exercises it towards another; for this is a difficult task.
[tr. Ross (1908)]

As then the worst man is he who practises vice towards his friends as well as in regard to himself, so the best is not he who practises virtue in regard to himself but he who practises it towards others; for that is a difficult task.
[tr. Rackham (1934)]

The worst sort of person, then, is the one who uses his depravity both in relation to himself and in relation to his friends, whereas the best sort is not the one who uses his virtue in relationship to himself but the one who uses it in relation to another person, since that is difficult work.
[tr. Reeve (1948)]

The worst man, then, is the one whose evil habit affects both himself and his friends, while the best man is one whose virtue is directed not to himself, but to others, for this is a difficult task.
[tr. Apostle (1975)]

So the worst person is the one who exercises his wickedness towards both himself and his friends, and the best is not the one who exercises his virtue towards himself but the one who exercises it towards another; because this is a difficult task.
[tr. Thomson/Tredennick (1976)]

So the worst person is the one who exercises wickedness in relation to himself and in relation to his friends, and the best is not he who exercises his virtue in relation to himself but the one who exercises it in relation to others, since this is a difficult thing to do.
[tr. Crisp (2000)]

Worst, then, is he who treats both himself and his friends in a corrupt way, but best is he who makes use of virtue not in relation to himself but in relation to another. For this is a difficult task.
[tr. Bartlett/Collins (2011)]

Make it not any longer a matter of dispute or discourse, what are the signs and proprieties of a good man, but really and actually to be such.
[tr. Casaubon (1634), 10.18]

Notion without Practice is Impertinence; spend no more time then in stating the Qualifications of a Man of Virtue, but endeavour to get them.
[tr. Collier (1701)]

Spend your time no longer, in discoursing on what are the qualities of the good-man; but in actually being such.
[tr. Hutcheson/Moor (1742)]

Lose no more time in disputing about the definition of a good man, but endeavour yourself to be one.
[tr. Graves (1792)]

No longer talk at all about the kind of man that a good man ought to be, but be such.
[tr. Long (1862)]

Spend no more time in stating the qualifications of a man of virtue, but endeavour to get them.
[tr. Collier/Zimmern (1887)]

No more mere talk of what the good man should be. Be it!
[tr. Rendall (1898)]

Discourse no more of what a good man should be; but be one.
[tr. Hutcheson/Chrystal (1902)]

Put an end once for all to this discussion of what a good man should be, and be one.
[tr. Haines (Loeb) (1916)]

Don't any more discuss at large what the good man is like, but be good.
[tr. Farquharson (1944)]

No more of all this talk about what a good man should be, but simply be one!
[tr. Hard (1997 ed.)]

To stop talking about what the good man is like, and just be one.
[tr. Hays (2003)]

No more roundabout discussion of what makes a good man. Be one!
[tr. Hammond (2006)]

Stop philosophizing about what a good man is and be one.
[tr. Needleman/Piazza (2008)]

No more of all this talk about what a good man should be, but simply be one!
[tr. Hard (2011 ed.)]

We all agree in the obligation of the moral precepts of Jesus, & no where will they be found delivered in greater purity than in his discourses. it is then a matter of principle with me to avoid disturbing the tranquility of others by the expression of any opinion on the innocent questions on which we schismatise.

An excellent citizen does not possess that virtue which constitutes a good man.
[tr. Ellis (1776)]

It is quite possible that a citizen, though good as such, should not possess the excellence which characterizes a the good man.
[tr. Bolland (1877)]

The good citizen need not of necessity possess the virtue which makes a good man.
[tr. Jowett (1885)]

That it is possible for a citizen to be excellent yet not possess the virtue in accordance with which he is an excellent man, therefore, is evident.
[tr. Lord (1984)]

Evidently, then, it is possible to be a good citizen without having acquired the virtue expressed by a good man.
[tr. Reeve (1998)]