Paulo Coelho Quotes

Sensibility appears to me to be neither good nor evil in itself, but in its application. Under the influence of Christian principle, it makes saints and martyrs; ill-directed, or uncontrolled, it is a snare, and the source of every temptation; besides, as people cannot get it if it is not given them, to descant on it seems to me as idle as to recommend people to have black eyes or fair complexions.

After all, why be good? How many will actually believe it of us?

...virtue is not merely a state in conformity with the right principle, but one that implies the right principle; and the right principle in moral conduct is prudence.

A man who knows all goods and all truths, as many as can be known, but does not shun evils, knows nothing.

It's better to die doing good than to live doing evil.

Goodness without wisdom always accomplishes evil.

To do evil for good is human corruption; to do good for good is civil retribution; but to do good for evil is Christian perfection. Though this be not the grace of nature, it is the nature of grace.

It is our choice of good or evil that determines our character, not our opinion about good or evil.

Virtue is nothing but an act of loving that which is to be beloved, and that act is prudence, from whence not to be removed by constraint is fortitude; not to be allured by enticements is temperance; not to be diverted by pride is justice.

I'd always found goodness more interesting then evil, though I was aware this wasn't the most general view. To my mind, it took more work and more courage to be good, an opinion continually reinforced by my own shortcomings.

In ethics, prudence is not an important virtue, but in the world it is almost everything.

Virtue and vice are not arbitrary things; but there is a natural and eternal reason for goodness and virtue, and against vice and wickedness.

To be good and disagreeable is high treason against the royalty of virtue.

Morality is the Science of harmonious relations between intelligent beings.

The sum of all is, if we would most truly enjoy this gift of Heaven, let us become a virtuous people.

The highest morality may prove also to be the highest wisdom when the half-told story comes to be finished.

It still remains true that no justification of virtue will enable a man to be virtuous.

The moral sense is the first excellence of well-organized man.

You can’t reach good ends through evil means, because the means represent the seed and the end represents the tree.

There is no virtue in curiosity. In fact, it might be the most immoral desire a man can possess.

Every man prefers virtue, when there is not some strong incitement to transgress its precepts.

Virtue is not an end in itself. Virtue is not its own reward or sacrificial fodder for the reward of evil. Life is the reward of virtue-and happiness is the goal and the reward of life.

The absence of vices adds so little to the sum of one's virtues.

The future success of our nation depends on our ability to understand the difference between right and wrong and to have the strength of character to make the right choices.

If vices were profitable, the virtuous man would be the sinner.