--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A gentleman is ashamed to let his words…" description: "\"A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.\" — Confucius" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg" --- # A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds. ![“A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.” quote by Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg) > “A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.” [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Words should not outpace actions; integrity requires deeds to match speech. **In simple terms:** Talk less, act more. Key Takeaway Align speech with deeds. Themes integrity honesty character Mood reflective serious Type moral philosophical When to use this quote - personal relationships - leadership - public speaking Key Concepts Confucianism ethical conduct Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure your actions reflect your promises? - What habits help you keep your word? A Different Perspective Words alone cannot build trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) [Ashamed Let](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed-let-3784259/) [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Gentleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman/) [Gentleman Ashamed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gentleman-ashamed-4570136/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Outrun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrun/) [Outrun Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outrun-deeds-4570137/) ## Related quotes > [A gentleman would be ashamed should his deeds not match his words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-would-be-ashamed-should-his-deeds-not-match-his-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [However, I continue to try and I continue, indefatigably, to reach out. There's no way I can single-handedly save the world or, perhaps, even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-asimov/however-i-continue-to-try-and-i-continue-indefatigably-to-reach-out/) [Isaac Asimov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-asimov/) > [Don't be ashamed to let your conscience be your guide.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aaron-neville/don-t-be-ashamed-to-let-your-conscience-be-your-guide/) [Aaron Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aaron-neville/) > [Make faithfulness and truth thy masters: have no friends unlike thyself: be not ashamed to mend thy faults.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/make-faithfulness-and-truth-thy-masters-have-no-friends-unlike/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A gentleman is calm and spacious: the vulgar are always fretting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-calm-and-spacious-the-vulgar-are-always-fretting/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The gentleman sees what is right while the small man sees what is profitable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-sees-what-is-right-while-the-small-man-sees-what-is/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The Master said, "To study, and then in a timely fashion to practice what you have learned - is this not satisfying? To have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-master-said-to-study-and-then-in-a-timely-fashion-to-practice/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The gentleman holds justice to be of highest importance. If a gentleman has courage but neglects justice, he becomes insurgent. If an inferior man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-gentleman-holds-justice-to-be-of-highest-importance-if-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [No one can outrun death. 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The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) ## More by Confucius > [Attack the evil that is within yourself, rather than attacking the evil that is in others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/attack-the-evil-that-is-within-yourself-rather-than-attacking-the/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The superior man is distressed by his want (lack) of ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-superior-man-is-distressed-by-his-want-lack-of-ability/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [In ancient times, those who wished to illuminate the world with virtue first brought order to their nations. Wishing to order well their nations,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/in-ancient-times-those-who-wished-to-illuminate-the-world-with-virtue/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Better than the one who knows what is right is the one who loves what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/better-than-the-one-who-knows-what-is-right-is-the-one-who-loves-what/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Knowledge is merely brilliance in organization of ideas and not wisdom. The truly wise person goes beyond knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/knowledge-is-merely-brilliance-in-organization-of-ideas-and-not/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [I live in a very small house, but my windows look out on a very large world.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/i-live-in-a-very-small-house-but-my-windows-look-out-on-a-very-large/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To rule a country of a thousand chariots, there must be reverent attention to business, and sincerity; economy in expenditure, and love for men;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-rule-a-country-of-a-thousand-chariots-there-must-be-reverent/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [The real fault is to have faults and not amend them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/the-real-fault-is-to-have-faults-and-not-amend-them/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To know what you know and what you do not know, that is true knowledge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-know-what-you-know-and-what-you-do-not-know-that-is-true-knowledge/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [A picture is poem without words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-picture-is-poem-without-words/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Heaven means to be one with God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/heaven-means-to-be-one-with-god/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Does Heaven ever speak? The four seasons come and go, and all creatures thrive and grow. Does Heaven ever speak!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/does-heaven-ever-speak-the-four-seasons-come-and-go-and-all-creatures/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [To study and at times practice what one has learned, is this not a pleasure?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/to-study-and-at-times-practice-what-one-has-learned-is-this-not-a/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [Recompense injury with justice, and recompense kindness with kindness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/recompense-injury-with-justice-and-recompense-kindness-with-kindness/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [There is only one thing in life which never changes, and it is change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/there-is-only-one-thing-in-life-which-never-changes-and-it-is-change/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) [Explore all 1,019 Confucius quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) ## More Ashamed quotes > [If my child had prejudice in his head, I'd be ashamed. I would see it as my failure as a parent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salman-rushdie/if-my-child-had-prejudice-in-his-head-i-d-be-ashamed-i-would-see-it/) [Salman Rushdie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salman-rushdie/) > [I know what you're thinking... and you oughtta be ashamed of yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-preston/i-know-what-you-re-thinking-and-you-oughtta-be-ashamed-of-yourself/) [Robert Preston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-preston/) > [You never meet the writer when you're making a TV movie in America - they're too ashamed to show up and see how their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-don-baker/you-never-meet-the-writer-when-you-re-making-a-tv-movie-in-america/) [Joe Don Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-don-baker/) > [I'm not ashamed of the things I believe and why I believe them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-huckabee/i-m-not-ashamed-of-the-things-i-believe-and-why-i-believe-them/) [Mike Huckabee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-huckabee/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [“with her own life. And I was ashamed.” Humiliated. Broken. Miserable. If Wilcher had stood by Jaymee, if her father hadn’t berated her, if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacy-green/with-her-own-life-and-i-was-ashamed-humiliated-broken-miserable-if/) [Stacy Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stacy-green/) > [You should avoid hedging, at least that's what I think. You should be ashamed to die until you've made some contribution to mankind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vernon-johns/you-should-avoid-hedging-at-least-that-s-what-i-think-you-should-be/) [Vernon Johns](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vernon-johns/) > [There was no mistake in us making abortion legal and available on demand. That was what we call progress. Just like it was no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-ruffalo/there-was-no-mistake-in-us-making-abortion-legal-and-available-on/) [Mark Ruffalo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-ruffalo/) > [“When all are undressed, one is somehow not ashamed, but when one's the only one undressed and everybody is looking, it's degrading,' he kept…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/when-all-are-undressed-one-is-somehow-not-ashamed-but-when-one-s-the/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [There are a great many colored people who are ashamed of the cake-walk, but I think they ought to be proud of it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-weldon-johnson/there-are-a-great-many-colored-people-who-are-ashamed-of-the-cake/) [James Weldon Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-weldon-johnson/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [“Whoever is ashamed of me and my words, the Son of Man will be ashamed of them when he comes in his glory and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zondervan-publishing/whoever-is-ashamed-of-me-and-my-words-the-son-of-man-will-be-ashamed/) [Zondervan Publishing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zondervan-publishing/) > [You were never created to live depressed, defeated, guilty, condemned, ashamed or unworthy. You were created to be victorious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-osteen/you-were-never-created-to-live-depressed-defeated-guilty-condemned/) [Joel Osteen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-osteen/) > [I never wonder to see men wicked, but I often wonder to see them not ashamed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-swift/i-never-wonder-to-see-men-wicked-but-i-often-wonder-to-see-them-not/) [Jonathan Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-swift/) > [“To survive during the Khmer Rouge, you had to steal, cheat, lie, point fingers at others, even kill. And now you are ashamed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-brinkley/to-survive-during-the-khmer-rouge-you-had-to-steal-cheat-lie-point/) [Joel Brinkley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-brinkley/) [Browse all 1,607 Ashamed quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ashamed/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Confucius" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words-outrun-his-deeds/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Ashamed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words-outrun-his-deeds/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d6e/confucius-164_ashamed_a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words_1347225.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A gentleman is ashamed to let his words outrun his deeds.” — Confucius", "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": "Confucius", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "A gentleman is ashamed to let...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words-outrun-his-deeds/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/a-gentleman-is-ashamed-to-let-his-words-outrun-his-deeds/#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 } } ] } ```