--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only honest people take you at your word…" description: "\"“Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and thieves expect the same in return. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t have a problem lying when it ca..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/donna-augustine-25434_honest_only-honest-people-take-you-at-your-word_107778.jpg" --- # Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and… ![“Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and thieves expect the same in return. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t have a problem lying when it came to saving my own ass.” quote by Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/donna-augustine-25434_honest_only-honest-people-take-you-at-your-word_107778.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/donna-augustine-25434_honest_only-honest-people-take-you-at-your-word_107778.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/096/donna-augustine-25434_honest_only-honest-people-take-you-at-your-word_107778.jpg) > ““Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and thieves expect the same in return. Unfortunately for him, I didn’t have a problem lying when it came to saving my own ass.”” [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Honesty is valued, yet the speaker admits to lying when self‑preservation is at stake, highlighting a conflict between integrity and self‑interest. **In simple terms:** People expect honesty, but the speaker lies to protect themselves. Key Takeaway Self‑interest can override moral standards. Themes ethics trust self‑preservation social dynamics Mood cynical reflective Type moral dialogue When to use this quote - a workplace dilemma - a personal relationship conflict - a legal negotiation Key Concepts moral relativism psychology of deception Practical Applications - Practice transparent communication before crises. - Develop a personal code for when to disclose truth. Questions to Reflect On - When is lying justified to protect oneself? - How does repeated self‑interest erode trust? A Different Perspective Absolute honesty may expose one to greater risk. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honest people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest-people/) ## Related quotes > [Congress is where the liars and thieves meet.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/congress-is-where-the-liars-and-thieves-meet/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) > [“Let me enlighten you. We are a pack of liars, thieves, and wastrels, the lot of us...There is not an honestly gained parcel of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alissa-johnson/let-me-enlighten-you-we-are-a-pack-of-liars-thieves-and-wastrels-the/) [Alissa Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alissa-johnson/) > [We’re being ripped off and screwed by a bunch of liars, thieves, crooks, and criminals, and they’re not the folks below. Don’t look in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-brown/we-re-being-ripped-off-and-screwed-by-a-bunch-of-liars-thieves-crooks/) [Jerry Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-brown/) > [“I was hung on a tree, made of tongues of the weak. The branches and bone of the liars and thieves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/30-seconds-to-mars/i-was-hung-on-a-tree-made-of-tongues-of-the-weak-the-branches-and/) [30 Seconds to Mars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/30-seconds-to-mars/) > [“Ours is the only civilization in history which has enshrined mediocrity as its national ideal. Others have been corrupt, but leave it to us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walker-percy/ours-is-the-only-civilization-in-history-which-has-enshrined/) [Walker Percy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walker-percy/) > [“99% of all addicts are liars and thieves. This might sound unfair and even close-minded, but it's the truth. There are some exceptions to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashly-lorenzana/99-of-all-addicts-are-liars-and-thieves-this-might-sound-unfair-and/) [Ashly Lorenzana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashly-lorenzana/) > [“Blankets could be used to identify liars and thieves, if lawmakers passed laws stating that lawmakers were required by law to wear blankets out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/blankets-could-be-used-to-identify-liars-and-thieves-if-lawmakers/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [If you don't want to be in an argument with someone, it is probably best to try to solve the problem, rather than lying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-lockhart/if-you-don-t-want-to-be-in-an-argument-with-someone-it-is-probably/) [E. Lockhart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-lockhart/) > [“I was starting to realize the extent of the problem here: everyone is always lying to each other, and even when they're trying to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-portman/i-was-starting-to-realize-the-extent-of-the-problem-here-everyone-is/) [Frank Portman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-portman/) > [“So I'd stabbed needles into my eyes and pretended not to see certain things. Bad things. Only by turning my back on certain thing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-myracle/so-i-d-stabbed-needles-into-my-eyes-and-pretended-not-to-see-certain/) [Lauren Myracle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-myracle/) > [“That's the problem with lying. You can never remember what you've said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-green/that-s-the-problem-with-lying-you-can-never-remember-what-you-ve-said/) [Jane Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-green/) > [“Recognizing a problem may help us to understand and solve a problem. Rather than lying down and selling our sound judgment short, let us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erik-pevernagie/recognizing-a-problem-may-help-us-to-understand-and-solve-a-problem/) [Erik Pevernagie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erik-pevernagie/) > [“What has become clear is that lies are just a temporary solution to a permanent problem. Lying to spare a person's feelings, even when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/veronica-roth/what-has-become-clear-is-that-lies-are-just-a-temporary-solution-to-a/) [Veronica Roth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/veronica-roth/) > [“Maybe the problem with lying is that once you start faking it, it's impossible to tell where the make-believe you ends and the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/autumn-doughton/maybe-the-problem-with-lying-is-that-once-you-start-faking-it-it-s/) [Autumn Doughton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/autumn-doughton/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) ## More by Donna Augustine > [“I'm making friends. You wouldn't know anything about that.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/i-m-making-friends-you-wouldn-t-know-anything-about-that/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Just don't get distracted. Keep focused." "I think I could figure that out." I snapped, and knew I was on edge; perhaps overreacting due…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/just-don-t-get-distracted-keep-focused-i-think-i-could-figure-that/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“He smelled too good, he looked too good and it was just completely unfair. Villains were supposed to be ugly. Just another way I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/he-smelled-too-good-he-looked-too-good-and-it-was-just-completely/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Some of the most horrific dictators rose to power amidst chaos.” I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/some-of-the-most-horrific-dictators-rose-to-power-amidst-chaos-i/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Good thing he wasn't human. He'd have no friends at all if it weren't for the freaks at the office. If they were his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/good-thing-he-wasn-t-human-he-d-have-no-friends-at-all-if-it-weren-t/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“It was like every man in my life knew exactly what I wanted them to do and then did the exact opposite, just to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/it-was-like-every-man-in-my-life-knew-exactly-what-i-wanted-them-to/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Resist the dimples. Do not look at the dimples. They are defects. Shit, must ignore the dents.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/resist-the-dimples-do-not-look-at-the-dimples-they-are-defects-shit/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“I don't like this." Cormac punched the stone of the wall as he paced the room. He'd been periodically punching things all day and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/i-don-t-like-this-cormac-punched-the-stone-of-the-wall-as-he-paced/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“These days, I was holding myself together with whiskey and denial. I didn't have my whiskey and denial was having a bad day. I”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/these-days-i-was-holding-myself-together-with-whiskey-and-denial-i/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Don't push it." Cormac said as he looked back to Burrom. "You'll go under again one day, and I'll find out where you're buried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/don-t-push-it-cormac-said-as-he-looked-back-to-burrom-you-ll-go-under/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Half the joy of doing some stuff is being able to talk about it after.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/half-the-joy-of-doing-some-stuff-is-being-able-to-talk-about-it-after/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Cormac wasn't scared of a fight. I wouldn't be surprised if he'd punched his mother's doctor on his way out of the womb.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/cormac-wasn-t-scared-of-a-fight-i-wouldn-t-be-surprised-if-he-d/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“looked down at my glass and added another finger of the amber liquid. It wouldn't make it right, but it would make it a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/looked-down-at-my-glass-and-added-another-finger-of-the-amber-liquid/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“Oh, my god, you moron, she’s one of us. She’s a Keeper! Humans don’t spit bullets back out! I gotta go get Cormac. This…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/oh-my-god-you-moron-she-s-one-of-us-she-s-a-keeper-humans-don-t-spit/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) > [“What's wrong with you?" This was worse than a fight. Maybe he was all messed up from the magic. I didn't like when he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donna-augustine/what-s-wrong-with-you-this-was-worse-than-a-fight-maybe-he-was-all/) [Donna Augustine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) [Explore all 23 Donna Augustine quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donna-augustine/) ## More Honest quotes > [How strong is a faith that can't stand up to a few honest questions?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-c-davis/how-strong-is-a-faith-that-can-t-stand-up-to-a-few-honest-questions/) [Kenneth C. Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-c-davis/) > [What we shall need is not geniuses, or cynics, or misanthropes, or clever tacticians, but plain, honest, straghtforward men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/what-we-shall-need-is-not-geniuses-or-cynics-or-misanthropes-or/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [We have a fear of facing ourselves. That is the obstacle. Experiencing the innermost core of our existence is very embarrassing to a lot…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/we-have-a-fear-of-facing-ourselves-that-is-the-obstacle-experiencing/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [Tobacco is the passion of honest men and he who lives without tobacco is not worthy of living.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/tobacco-is-the-passion-of-honest-men-and-he-who-lives-without-tobacco/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [It is worthwhile for anyone to have behind him a few generations of honest, hard-working ancestry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-is-worthwhile-for-anyone-to-have-behind-him-a-few-generations-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“RIGHT Do you do what feels right or what is seen right?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kitty-downer/right-do-you-do-what-feels-right-or-what-is-seen-right/) [Kitty Downer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kitty-downer/) > [One of the most basic principles for making and keeping peace within and between nations. . . is that in political, military, moral, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/one-of-the-most-basic-principles-for-making-and-keeping-peace-within/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) > [I don't know - to be honest, I don't really model myself after anybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diego-klattenhoff/i-don-t-know-to-be-honest-i-don-t-really-model-myself-after-anybody/) [Diego Klattenhoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diego-klattenhoff/) > [There's a certain edge about cruelty. If you're honest about it, most people wince, but say it had to be said.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pete-waterman/there-s-a-certain-edge-about-cruelty-if-you-re-honest-about-it-most/) [Pete Waterman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pete-waterman/) > [I have often spoken of integrity as the most important of these values, realizing that integrity – and personal integrity, at that – is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/verghese-kurien/i-have-often-spoken-of-integrity-as-the-most-important-of-these/) [Verghese Kurien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/verghese-kurien/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [I used to not be really honest with girls and then I dropped a song called Starry Room and then I started turning over…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaden-smith/i-used-to-not-be-really-honest-with-girls-and-then-i-dropped-a-song/) [Jaden Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaden-smith/) > [Fuck perfect, I want honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/djsovviet/fuck-perfect-i-want-honest/) Djsovviet > [If I'm honest, I think everything is funny. You've just got to find the right way in. When I'm at my happiest and when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-mcintyre/if-i-m-honest-i-think-everything-is-funny-you-ve-just-got-to-find-the/) [Michael McIntyre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-mcintyre/) > [I think managers see that I am honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-lallana/i-think-managers-see-that-i-am-honest/) [Adam Lallana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-lallana/) [Browse all 7,016 Honest quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Only honest people take you at your word. Liars and thieves expect the same in return. 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