--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I hold every man a debtor to his…" description: "\"I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty to endeav..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg" --- # I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the… ![“I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty to endeavor themselves, by way of amends, to be a help and ornament thereunto.” quote by Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg) > “I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty to endeavor themselves, by way of amends, to be a help and ornament thereunto.” [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People owe society contributions through their work and should strive to be beneficial and exemplary members. **In simple terms:** Work should benefit society. Key Takeaway Contribute positively. Themes duty contribution ethics Mood reflective serious Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - employment - volunteering - community service - leadership Key Concepts social responsibility professionalism Questions to Reflect On - How can one balance self‑interest with societal duty? - What obstacles prevent people from being helpful? A Different Perspective May ignore personal limits for profit. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Amends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/) [Debtor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debtor/) [Debtors](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/debtors/) [Duty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/duty/) [Endeavor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/endeavor/) [Greatness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/greatness/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Occupation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/occupation/) [Profession](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profession/) [Profit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profit/) [Responsibility](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsibility/) ## Related quotes > [I hold every man a debtor to his profession.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profession/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Never, never, never let yourself feel that anybody ought to do anything for you. Once you become a duty you also become a nuisance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marjorie-hillis/never-never-never-let-yourself-feel-that-anybody-ought-to-do-anything/) [Marjorie Hillis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marjorie-hillis/) > [It cannot be too often or too forcibly brought home to us that the hope of the profession is with the men who do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-osler/it-cannot-be-too-often-or-too-forcibly-brought-home-to-us-that-the/) [William Osler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-osler/) > [The world's largest debtor is a distinction of sorts, but not the one we like having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-patrick-moynihan/the-world-s-largest-debtor-is-a-distinction-of-sorts-but-not-the-one/) [Daniel Patrick Moynihan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-patrick-moynihan/) > [Not everyone is a debtor who wishes to be; not everyone who wishes makes creditors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/not-everyone-is-a-debtor-who-wishes-to-be-not-everyone-who-wishes/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [The problem is that the U.S. government is the biggest debtor in the world, and those depending on it to take care of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-kiyosaki/the-problem-is-that-the-u-s-government-is-the-biggest-debtor-in-the/) [Robert Kiyosaki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-kiyosaki/) > [DEBT, n. An ingenious substitute for the chain and whip of the slave-driver. As, pent in an aquarium, the troutlet Swims round and round…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ambrose-bierce/debt-n-an-ingenious-substitute-for-the-chain-and-whip-of-the-slave/) [Ambrose Bierce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ambrose-bierce/) > [A small debt produces a debtor; a large one, an enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/a-small-debt-produces-a-debtor-a-large-one-an-enemy/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [It's an open secret that if a debtor is willing to wait long enough, he can probably get away with paying almost nothing, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-duhigg/it-s-an-open-secret-that-if-a-debtor-is-willing-to-wait-long-enough/) [Charles Duhigg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-duhigg/) > [Our country has tremendous problems. We're a debtor nation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/our-country-has-tremendous-problems-we-re-a-debtor-nation/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [So long as there is a human being who does not know Jesus Christ, I am his debtor to serve him until he does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oswald-chambers/so-long-as-there-is-a-human-being-who-does-not-know-jesus-christ-i-am/) [Oswald Chambers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oswald-chambers/) > [People may live as much retired from the world as they like, but sooner or later they find themselves debtor or creditor to some…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/people-may-live-as-much-retired-from-the-world-as-they-like-but/) [Johann Wolfgang Von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [Every novel is a debtor to Homer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/every-novel-is-a-debtor-to-homer/) [Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/) > [People may live as much retired from the world as they please; but sooner or later, before they are aware, they will find themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/people-may-live-as-much-retired-from-the-world-as-they-please-but/) [Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/) > [The creditor whose appearance gladdens the heart of a debtor may hold his head in sunbeams and his foot on storms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-kaspar-lavater/the-creditor-whose-appearance-gladdens-the-heart-of-a-debtor-may-hold/) [Johann Kaspar Lavater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-kaspar-lavater/) ## More by Francis Bacon > [Princes are like heavenly bodies, which cause good or evil times, and which have much veneration, but no rest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/princes-are-like-heavenly-bodies-which-cause-good-or-evil-times-and/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The best preservative to keep the mind in health is the faithful admonition of a friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-best-preservative-to-keep-the-mind-in-health-is-the-faithful/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Since custom is the principal magistrate of man's life, let men by all means endeavor to obtain good customs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/since-custom-is-the-principal-magistrate-of-man-s-life-let-men-by-all/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Painting today is pure intuition and luck and taking advantage of what happens when you splash the stuff down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/painting-today-is-pure-intuition-and-luck-and-taking-advantage-of/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I usually accept bribes from both sides so that tainted money can never influence my decision.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-usually-accept-bribes-from-both-sides-so-that-tainted-money-can/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Much bending breaks the bow; much unbending the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/much-bending-breaks-the-bow-much-unbending-the-mind/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When Christ came into the world, peace was sung; and when He went out of the world, peace was bequeathed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-christ-came-into-the-world-peace-was-sung-and-when-he-went-out/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [...neither is it possible to discover the more remote and deeper parts of any science, if you stand but upon the level of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/neither-is-it-possible-to-discover-the-more-remote-and-deeper-parts/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The divisions of science are not like different lines that meet in one angle, but rather like the branches of trees that join in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-divisions-of-science-are-not-like-different-lines-that-meet-in/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The human understanding, when any preposition has been once laid down... forces everything else to add fresh support and confirmation; and although more cogent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-human-understanding-when-any-preposition-has-been-once-laid-down/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [I should have been, I don't know, a con-man, a robber or a prostitute. But it was vanity that made me choose painting, vanity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-should-have-been-i-don-t-know-a-con-man-a-robber-or-a-prostitute/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Wounds cannot be cured without searching.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/wounds-cannot-be-cured-without-searching/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [The French are wiser than they seem, and the Spaniards seem wiser than they are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/the-french-are-wiser-than-they-seem-and-the-spaniards-seem-wiser-than/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [When a man laughs at his troubles he loses a great many friends. They never forgive the loss of their prerogative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/when-a-man-laughs-at-his-troubles-he-loses-a-great-many-friends-they/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) > [Believing that I was born for the service of mankind, and regarding the care of the commonwealth as a kind of common property which,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/believing-that-i-was-born-for-the-service-of-mankind-and-regarding/) [Francis Bacon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) [Explore all 711 Francis Bacon quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/) ## More Amends quotes > [I am making amends and seeking forgiveness. My only hope is that some good can come out of my situation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jayson-blair/i-am-making-amends-and-seeking-forgiveness-my-only-hope-is-that-some/) [Jayson Blair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jayson-blair/) > [Put that pride/stubbornness aside and reach out to someone n make amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-that-pride-stubbornness-aside-and-reach-out-to-someone-n-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We make stupid mistakes when we're young; we do our best to make amends for them as we get older. We survive by learning;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-steele/we-make-stupid-mistakes-when-we-re-young-we-do-our-best-to-make/) [Allen Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-steele/) > [ Sadly, \[Pablo Escobar\] ended up throwing away the one opportunity he had. I naively thought, as a son and as many other Colombians, that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/juan-pablo-escobar/sadly-pablo-escobar-ended-up-throwing-away-the-one-opportunity-he-had/) [Juan Pablo Escobar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/juan-pablo-escobar/) > [Forgiveness does not mean that we have to continue to relate to those who have done us harm. In some cases the best practice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-kornfield/forgiveness-does-not-mean-that-we-have-to-continue-to-relate-to-those/) [Jack Kornfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-kornfield/) > [If you did something in 1975 that you deeply regret and that you now can recognize as having been profoundly irresponsible, for example, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/if-you-did-something-in-1975-that-you-deeply-regret-and-that-you-now/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Karma means that all actions have consequences. Grace means that in a moment of atonement -taking responsibility, making amends, asking for forgiveness - all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/karma-means-that-all-actions-have-consequences-grace-means-that-in-a/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [“The difference between humility and humiliation is willingness. Ultimately, it's not for them. It's for me.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-hart/the-difference-between-humility-and-humiliation-is-willingness/) Rob Hart > [Like the Puritans, live in terms of the settled judgement that the joy of heaven will make amends of any losses and crosses, strains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joel-beeke/like-the-puritans-live-in-terms-of-the-settled-judgement-that-the-joy/) [Joel Beeke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joel-beeke/) > [As long as you live, it is never too late to make amends. Take my advice, child. Don't waste your precious life with regrets…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-hesse/as-long-as-you-live-it-is-never-too-late-to-make-amends-take-my/) [Karen Hesse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-hesse/) > [Making amends with some people just for the sake of it is a sign of maturity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/making-amends-with-some-people-just-for-the-sake-of-it-is-a-sign-of/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think we are well advised to keep on nodding terms with the people we used to be, whether we find them attractive company…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-didion/i-think-we-are-well-advised-to-keep-on-nodding-terms-with-the-people/) [Joan Didion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-didion/) > [“Not to know that no space of regret can make amends for one life's misused oppurtunities!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-dickens/not-to-know-that-no-space-of-regret-can-make-amends-for-one-life-s/) [Charles Dickens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-dickens/) > [Let a man do what he will by a single woman, the world is encouragingly apt to think Marriage a sufficient amends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-richardson/let-a-man-do-what-he-will-by-a-single-woman-the-world-is/) [Samuel Richardson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-richardson/) > [“The past is the past, and he can't make amends, only hope that the gain will outlast the damage.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikram-seth/the-past-is-the-past-and-he-can-t-make-amends-only-hope-that-the-gain/) [Vikram Seth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikram-seth/) [Browse all 90 Amends quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/amends/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance and profit, so ought they of duty to endeavor themselves, by way of amends, to be a help and ornament thereunto.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Bacon" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profession-from-the-which-as-men-of/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Amends" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profession-from-the-which-as-men-of/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a54/francis-bacon-297_amends_i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profess_1201520.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I hold every man a debtor to his profession; from the which as men of course do seek to receive countenance…” — Francis Bacon", "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": "Francis Bacon", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-bacon/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I hold every man a debtor...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profession-from-the-which-as-men-of/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-bacon/i-hold-every-man-a-debtor-to-his-profession-from-the-which-as-men-of/#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 } } ] } ```