--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: If you confer a benefit, never remember…" description: "\"If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.\" — Chilon of Sparta" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg" --- # If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive… ![“If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.” quote by Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg) > “If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.” [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages gratitude for benefits received and humility when giving. **In simple terms:** Remember received, forget given. Key Takeaway Practice humility and gratitude. Themes ethics gratitude humility reciprocity Mood wise ethical Type philosophical maxim When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - community building Key Concepts ancient philosophy social norms Questions to Reflect On - How to balance gratitude and self‑respect? - What are healthy ways to give? A Different Perspective May be misinterpreted as self‑neglect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit/) [Benefit Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit-remember-1402254/) [Benefits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefits/) [Confer Benefit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confer-benefit-1402258/) [Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget/) [Forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forget-it/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Never forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never-forget/) [Receive Forget](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/receive-forget-1402259/) [Remember](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember/) [Remember Receive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/remember-receive-1402256/) ## Related quotes > [When you confer a benefit on those worthy of it, you confer a favor on all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/when-you-confer-a-benefit-on-those-worthy-of-it-you-confer-a-favor-on/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [When you're in a relationship and you really love someone it can't always be about you, remember you have to give to receive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-re-in-a-relationship-and-you-really-love-someone-it-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He who receives a benefit should never forget it; he who bestows should never remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-charron/he-who-receives-a-benefit-should-never-forget-it-he-who-bestows/) [Pierre Charron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-charron/) > [The more intelligible a thing is, the more easily it is retained in the memory, and counterwise, the less intelligible it is, the more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/the-more-intelligible-a-thing-is-the-more-easily-it-is-retained-in/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [I have no admiration for culture. I have no reserve knowledge, no provisional knowledge. And everything that I learn, I learn for a particular…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gilles-deleuze/i-have-no-admiration-for-culture-i-have-no-reserve-knowledge-no/) [Gilles Deleuze](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gilles-deleuze/) > [If you're stupid enough to whiff, you should be smart enough to forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arnold-palmer/if-you-re-stupid-enough-to-whiff-you-should-be-smart-enough-to-forget/) [Arnold Palmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arnold-palmer/) > [You cannot be successful without passion. If you don't love what you're doing, if you don't have passion for it - forget it. Do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/you-cannot-be-successful-without-passion-if-you-don-t-love-what-you/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [The other death for an actor is comparing yourself to other people: Forget someone else's path. Concentrate on your path. Otherwise, you get lost,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirley-knight/the-other-death-for-an-actor-is-comparing-yourself-to-other-people/) [Shirley Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirley-knight/) > [--Hero!? Forget it! We're Pirates! I love heroes but I don't wanna become one! Do you even know what it takes to be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiichiro-oda/hero-forget-it-we-re-pirates-i-love-heroes-but-i-don-t-wanna-become/) [Eiichiro Oda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiichiro-oda/) > [Whenever anything happens in America, they have to gold-plate it, like baby shoes. That way you can forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/whenever-anything-happens-in-america-they-have-to-gold-plate-it-like/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [I get letters every year from women who think Valentine's Day is an empty exercise, but are ironically pretty exercised when their boyfriends neglect…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-savage/i-get-letters-every-year-from-women-who-think-valentine-s-day-is-an/) [Dan Savage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-savage/) > [When I look at nature I feel as if I'll be able to paint it all, note it all down, and then you might…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claude-monet/when-i-look-at-nature-i-feel-as-if-i-ll-be-able-to-paint-it-all-note/) [Claude Monet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/claude-monet/) > [In life's orchestra, the bike is the double bass. Hard to forget it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-fournel/in-life-s-orchestra-the-bike-is-the-double-bass-hard-to-forget-it/) [Paul Fournel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-fournel/) > [Our memory is a monster; you forget it - it does not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-irving/our-memory-is-a-monster-you-forget-it-it-does-not/) [John Irving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-irving/) > [Remind a man of what he remembers, and you will make him forget it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plautus/remind-a-man-of-what-he-remembers-and-you-will-make-him-forget-it/) [Plautus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plautus/) ## More by Chilon of Sparta > [Do not make too much haste on one's road.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/do-not-make-too-much-haste-on-one-s-road/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [Learn how to regulate one's own house well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/learn-how-to-regulate-one-s-own-house-well/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [Do not let one's tongue outrun one's sense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/do-not-let-one-s-tongue-outrun-one-s-sense/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [Do nothing immoderate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/do-nothing-immoderate/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [A youthful age is desirable, but aged youth is troublesome and grievous.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/a-youthful-age-is-desirable-but-aged-youth-is-troublesome-and-grievous/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [The tongue should not be suffered to outrun the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/the-tongue-should-not-be-suffered-to-outrun-the-mind/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [Prefer punishment to disgraceful gain; for the one is painful but once, but the other for one's whole life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/prefer-punishment-to-disgraceful-gain-for-the-one-is-painful-but-once/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [If one is strong be also merciful, so that one's neighbors may respect one rather than fear one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/if-one-is-strong-be-also-merciful-so-that-one-s-neighbors-may-respect/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [What is difficult? To keep a secret, to employ leisure well, to be able to bear an injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/what-is-difficult-to-keep-a-secret-to-employ-leisure-well-to-be-able/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) > [As the touchstone tries gold, so gold tries men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/as-the-touchstone-tries-gold-so-gold-tries-men/) [Chilon of Sparta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) [Explore all 11 Chilon of Sparta quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/) ## More Benefit quotes > [Some Republicans gave up on winning the African-American vote, looking the other way or trying to benefit politically from racial polarization. I am here…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-mehlman/some-republicans-gave-up-on-winning-the-african-american-vote-looking/) [Ken Mehlman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-mehlman/) > [It's not always to the benefit of the story to have it so preordained.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-woodrell/it-s-not-always-to-the-benefit-of-the-story-to-have-it-so-preordained/) [Daniel Woodrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-woodrell/) > [I'm less concerned about whether being a good corporate citizen burnishes a company's reputation. That's just an added benefit. I believe it's a responsibility,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-burns/i-m-less-concerned-about-whether-being-a-good-corporate-citizen/) [Ursula Burns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-burns/) > [The benefit of living in a free society is that we all have the choice to be rich, poor, or middle class. The decision…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-benefit-of-living-in-a-free-society-is-that-we-all-have-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [As the future is never known with certainty, the evaluation of the prospective benefits requires the formation of expectations. An acceptable house, partner or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-t-mortensen/as-the-future-is-never-known-with-certainty-the-evaluation-of-the/) [Dale T. Mortensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dale-t-mortensen/) > [For us, my wife and I and all of my partners believe that corporations have to be corporate citizens, and individuals who benefit from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-walter/for-us-my-wife-and-i-and-all-of-my-partners-believe-that-corporations/) [Mark Walter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-walter/) > [The benefit to building a startup is that customers don't have the same kind of friction when they adopt new technology.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-levie/the-benefit-to-building-a-startup-is-that-customers-don-t-have-the/) [Aaron Levie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-levie/) > [“Because the core of my personal philosophy is that everything that happens to us benefits us, I was also spared the futility of cursing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/because-the-core-of-my-personal-philosophy-is-that-everything-that/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nothing is so good that impious and sacrilegious and wicked people cannot contort its proper benefit into evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giordano-bruno/nothing-is-so-good-that-impious-and-sacrilegious-and-wicked-people/) [Giordano Bruno](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giordano-bruno/) > [“Everything I think I’m doing for my own benefit has some incidental evolutionary advantage!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-hamantaschen/everything-i-think-i-m-doing-for-my-own-benefit-has-some-incidental/) [J.R. Hamantaschen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-hamantaschen/) > [The true principle of taxation is the benefit principle - those who benefit from a government service should pay for it. It's also known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-skousen/the-true-principle-of-taxation-is-the-benefit-principle-those-who/) [Mark Skousen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-skousen/) > [Dance keeps me fit! It's been a huge benefit in my life and it will forever be a part of me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allison-holker/dance-keeps-me-fit-it-s-been-a-huge-benefit-in-my-life-and-it-will/) [Allison Holker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allison-holker/) > [Many people do not realize that where unions have bargaining rights employers cannot raise wages or improve benefit plans any more than they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-e-wilson/many-people-do-not-realize-that-where-unions-have-bargaining-rights/) [Charles E. Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-e-wilson/) > [To use for our exclusive benefit what is not ours is theft.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-marti/to-use-for-our-exclusive-benefit-what-is-not-ours-is-theft/) [Jose Marti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-marti/) > [There is almost no topic that can't benefit from being talked about in a humorous way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-parris/there-is-almost-no-topic-that-can-t-benefit-from-being-talked-about/) [Rachel Parris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-parris/) [Browse all 533 Benefit quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/benefit/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Chilon of Sparta" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-it-if-you-receive-one-never/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Benefit" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-it-if-you-receive-one-never/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/chilon-of-sparta-39244_benefit_if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-i_2537609.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“If you confer a benefit, never remember it; if you receive one, never forget it.” — Chilon of Sparta", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Chilon of Sparta", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chilon-of-sparta/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "If you confer a benefit, never...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-it-if-you-receive-one-never/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chilon-of-sparta/if-you-confer-a-benefit-never-remember-it-if-you-receive-one-never/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```