WIST Quotations

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 948 (1725)

Dave — Wed, 26 Nov 2025 16:49:30 +0000

Never trust a malicious Man upon the Account that thou hast done him good Offices: For thou hast but fed a Dragon that will devour thee, if ever thou comest within his reach.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Introductio ad Prudentiam, Vol. 1, # 948 (1725)
(Source)

Fuller repeated this item as # 2443 in his second volume (1727), slightly altered:

Never trust a malicious Man upon the Account that thou hast done him good Offices. For thou hast but fed a Dragon, that will devour thee if ever thou comest within the Reach of his Claws.

Bible, Vol. 2. New Testament -- Luke 6: 32-33 (Jesus) [GNT (1992 ed.)]

Dave — Tue, 26 Aug 2025 18:20:05 +0000

If you love only the people who love you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners love those who love them! And if you do good only to those who do good to you, why should you receive a blessing? Even sinners do that!

[καὶ εἰ ἀγαπᾶτε τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; καὶ γὰρ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τοὺς ἀγαπῶντας αὐτοὺς ἀγαπῶσιν. καὶ [γὰρ] ἐὰν ἀγαθοποιῆτε τοὺς ἀγαθοποιοῦντας ὑμᾶς, ποία ὑμῖν χάρις ἐστίν; καὶ οἱ ἁμαρτωλοὶ τὸ αὐτὸ ποιοῦσιν.]

The Bible (The New Testament) (AD 1st - 2nd C) Christian sacred scripture
Luke 6: 32-33 (Jesus) [GNT (1992 ed.)]
(Source)

No Synoptic parallels.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

For if ye love them which love you, what thank have ye? for sinners also love those that love them. And if ye do good to them which do good to you, what thank have ye? for sinners also do even the same.
[KJV (1611)]

If you love those who love you, what thanks can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what thanks can you expect? For even sinners do that much.
[JB (1966)]

If you love those who love you, what credit can you expect? Even sinners love those who love them. And if you do good to those who do good to you, what credit can you expect? For even sinners do that much.
[NJB (1985)]

If you love those who love you, why should you be commended? Even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, why should you be commended? Even sinners do that.
[CEB (2011)]

If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same.
[NRSV (2021 ed.)]

Racine, Jean -- Fragments Historiques [tr. Bund/Friswell (1871)]

Dave — Tue, 19 Aug 2025 22:50:27 +0000

The reason why the Cardinal [Mazarin] deferred so long to grant the favors he had promised, was because he was persuaded that hope was much more capable of keeping men to their duty than gratitude.

[La raison pourquoi le Cardinal différoit tant à accorder les grâces qu’il avoit promises, c’est qu’il étoit persuadé que l’espérance est bien plus capable de retenir les hommes dans le devoir que non pas la reconnoissance.]

Jean Racine (1639-1699) French dramatist
Fragments Historiques [tr. Bund/Friswell (1871)]
(Source)

(Source (French)).

This phrase is quoted by commenters on La Rochefoucauld in conjunction with his Maxim 38.

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Speech (1910-04-23), “Citizenship in a Republic [The Man in the Arena],” Sorbonne, Paris

Dave — Tue, 05 Nov 2024 14:19:54 +0000

If a public man tries to get your vote by saying that he will do something wrong in your interest, you can be absolutely certain that if ever it becomes worth his while he will do something wrong against your interest.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Speech (1910-04-23), “Citizenship in a Republic [The Man in the Arena],” Sorbonne, Paris
(Source)

Rogers, Will -- Radio broadcast (1935-06-02)

Dave — Wed, 10 May 2023 18:44:15 +0000

Well, you know how Congress is. They’ll vote for anything if the thing they vote for will turn around and vote for them.

Will Rogers (1879-1935) American humorist
Radio broadcast (1935-06-02)
(Source)

Fuller, Thomas (1654) -- Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 121 (1732)

Dave — Tue, 26 Jan 2021 21:53:45 +0000

A Friend, that you buy with Presents, will be bought from you.

Thomas Fuller (1654-1734) English physician, preacher, aphorist, writer
Gnomologia: Adages and Proverbs (compiler), # 121 (1732)
(Source)

Graham, Harry -- “Politeness”

Dave — Mon, 30 Jan 2017 22:25:21 +0000

Be civil, then, to young and old,
Especially to persons who
Possess a quantity of gold
Which they might leave to you.
The more they have, it seems to me,
The more polite you ought to be.

Harry Graham (1874-1936) English journalist, poet, stage lyricist
“Politeness”

Scalzi, John -- Lock In, ch. 3 [Shane] (2014)

Dave — Wed, 05 Oct 2016 00:54:46 +0000

Rich people show their appreciation through favors. When everyone you know has more money than they know what to do with, money stops being a useful transactional tool. So instead you offer favors. Deals. Quid pro quos. Things that involve personal involvement rather than money. Because when you’re that rich, your personal time is your limiting factor.

John Scalzi (b. 1969) American writer
Lock In, ch. 3 [Shane] (2014)
(Source)

Reagan, Ronald -- Remarks, business conference, Los Angeles (2 Mar 1977)

Dave — Fri, 03 Jun 2016 17:52:31 +0000

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

Ronald Reagan (1911-2006) US President (1981-89), politician, actor
Remarks, business conference, Los Angeles (2 Mar 1977)

Richardson, James -- Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 2 (2001)

Dave — Fri, 21 Aug 2015 15:00:53 +0000

Those who demand consideration for their sacrifices were making investments, not sacrifices.

James Richardson (b. 1950) American poet
Vectors: Aphorisms and Ten-Second Essays, # 2 (2001)

Chesterfield (Lord) -- Letter to his son, #129 (16 Oct 1747)

Dave — Mon, 06 Apr 2015 12:02:03 +0000

Do as you would be done by, is the surest method that I know of pleasing. Observe carefully what pleases you in others, and probably the same thing in you will please others.

Lord Chesterfield (1694-1773) English statesman, wit [Philip Dormer Stanhope]
Letter to his son, #129 (16 Oct 1747)
(Source)

A common theme in Chesterfield's advice, e.g.:

Letter #144 (9 Mar 1748):

Observe carefully, then, what displeases or pleases you in others, and be persuaded, that, in general, the same things will please or displease them in you.

Letter #229 (9 Jul 1750):

Pleasure is necessarily reciprocal; no one feels, who does not at the same time give it. To be pleased, one must please. What pleases you in others, will in general please them in you.

Jackson, Holbrook -- Platitudes in the Making, ch. 3 “The Inner Temple,” #12 (1911)

Dave — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 14:41:24 +0000

Sacrifice is a form of bargaining.

Holbrook Jackson (1874-1948) English journalist, editor, author
Platitudes in the Making, ch. 3 “The Inner Temple,” #12 (1911)
(Source)

Johnson, Lyndon -- (Attributed)

Dave — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 11:55:03 +0000

People don’t support you because they like you. You can count on a person’s support only when you do something for him or something to him.

Lyndon B. Johnson (1908-1973) American politician, educator, US President (1963-69)
(Attributed)
(Source)

On support from Congress. An "embittered" comment made to Richard Nixon after Johnson had left the Presidency. Quoted in Richard Nixon, In the Arena: A Memoir of Victory, Defeat, and Renewal, ch. 21 (1990).

Eldridge, Paul -- “Lanterns in the Night,” Maxim 41, The Jewish Forum (Aug 1948)

Dave — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:03:01 +0000

A man’s character is most evident by how he treats those who are not in a position either to retaliate or reciprocate.

Paul Eldridge (1888-1982) American educator, novelist, poet
“Lanterns in the Night,” Maxim 41, The Jewish Forum (Aug 1948)

Restated by Eldridge in Maxims for a Modern Man, #1198 (1965): "A man is most accurately judged by how he treats those who are not in a position either to retaliate or to reciprocate."

The same sentiment is also made or attributed to Ann Landers, Abigail Van Buren, Malcolm Forbes, James Miles, and (without any reference found) Goethe and Samuel Johnson. A more convoluted version can be found in the 19th Century by Charles Spurgeon.

More examination of this quotation:

Forbes, Malcolm -- (Attributed)

Dave — Thu, 03 Nov 2011 18:40:51 +0000

You can easily judge the character of a man by how he treats those who can do nothing for him.

Malcolm Forbes (1919-1990) American billionaire
(Attributed)

Quoted in Earl Wilson, "Coco Offered Fatty Arbuckle Role," Hartford Courant (6 Aug 1972); earliest reference found for Forbes. A variant is found in The Sayings of Chairman Malcolm (1978): “You can easily judge the character of others by how they treat those who can do nothing for them or to them.”

The earliest version of the sentiment appears to be Paul Eldridge.

Bible, Vol. 2. New Testament -- Matthew 7: 12, “The Golden Rule” (Jesus) [KJV (1611)]

Dave — Mon, 13 Sep 2010 17:52:57 +0000

Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.

[Πάντα οὖν ὅσα ἐὰν θέλητε ἵνα ποιῶσιν ὑμῖν οἱ ἄνθρωποι, οὕτως καὶ ὑμεῖς ποιεῖτε αὐτοῖς· οὗτος γάρ ἐστιν ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται.]

The Bible (The New Testament) (AD 1st - 2nd C) Christian sacred scripture
Matthew 7: 12, “The Golden Rule” (Jesus) [KJV (1611)]
(Source)

Popularly, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

This passage is paralleled in Luke 6:31.

(Source (Greek)). Alternate translations:

So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the meaning of the Law and the Prophets.
[JB (1966)]

So always treat others as you would like them to treat you; that is the Law and the Prophets.
[NJB (1985)]

Do for others what you want them to do for you: this is the meaning of the Law of Moses and of the teachings of the prophets.
[GNT (1992 ed.)]

Therefore, you should treat people in the same way that you want people to treat you; this is the Law and the Prophets.
[CEB (2011)]

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.
[NIV (2011 ed.)]

In everything do to others as you would have them do to you; for this is the law and the prophets.
[NRSV (2021 ed.)]

Note: The "Golden Rule" has been expressed in many ways by many religious and philosophical teachers. Several of these in WIST are or will be cross-referenced to this particular quotation (as trackbacks, and through the golden rule topic tag), not to lend it sectarian primacy, but because this is the best-known formulation of it in the Western world.