--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He merits no thanks who does a kindness…" description: "\"He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends.\" — Francois De La Rochefoucauld" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png" --- # He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends. ![“He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends.” quote by Francois De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png) > “He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends.” [Francois De La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Kindness done for selfish motives lacks genuine gratitude. **In simple terms:** Self‑serving kindness isn’t truly appreciated. Key Takeaway Seek altruistic intentions in helping others. Themes ethics motivation gratitude Mood thoughtful critical Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - charitable work - team leadership - family support - friendship Key Concepts philosophy human nature Questions to Reflect On - What motivates your kindness? - How do you recognize authentic gratitude? A Different Perspective People may doubt sincerity of self‑serving acts. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Does Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/does-kindness-491219/) [Gratitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) [Kindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness/) [Kindness Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kindness-ends-4564731/) [Merit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merit/) [Merits](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merits/) [Merits Thanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/merits-thanks-4564732/) ## Related quotes > [Not always actions show the man; we find who does a kindness is not therefore kind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/not-always-actions-show-the-man-we-find-who-does-a-kindness-is-not/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [“Abuse changes who we are, it changes who we become, It changes how we move in the world – And so does kindness”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikki-rosen/abuse-changes-who-we-are-it-changes-who-we-become-it-changes-how-we/) [Nikki Rosen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikki-rosen/) > [“When someone does a kindness for you, they are more likely to like you.6 This is dubbed the Franklin effect.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vanessa-van-edwards/when-someone-does-a-kindness-for-you-they-are-more-likely-to-like-you/) [Vanessa Van Edwards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vanessa-van-edwards/) > [As our kindness for ourselves grows, so does our kindness for other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pema-ch-dr-n/as-our-kindness-for-ourselves-grows-so-does-our-kindness-for-other/) [Pema Chodron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pema-ch-dr-n/) > [Codex Orféo is something you won't see coming at you, but it does. It's all about kindness to other species, and to one another.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-tobias/codex-orf-o-is-something-you-won-t-see-coming-at-you-but-it-does-it-s/) [Michael Tobias](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-tobias/) > [The sage never seems to know his own merits, for only by not noticing them can you call others' attention to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baltasar-gracian/the-sage-never-seems-to-know-his-own-merits-for-only-by-not-noticing/) [Baltasar Gracian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baltasar-gracian/) > [Every soul... comes into the world strengthened by the victories or weakened by the defeats of its' previous life. Its' place in this world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/origen/every-soul-comes-into-the-world-strengthened-by-the-victories-or/) [Origen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/origen/) > [Alfred Nobel - pitiable half-creature, should have been stifled by humane doctor when he made his entry yelling into life. Greatest merits: Keeps his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-nobel/alfred-nobel-pitiable-half-creature-should-have-been-stifled-by/) [Alfred Nobel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-nobel/) > [I take every job on its merits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-baker/i-take-every-job-on-its-merits/) [Colin Baker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-baker/) > [We should not judge a man's merits by his great qualities, but by the use he makes of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-should-not-judge-a-man-s-merits-by-his-great-qualities-but-by-the/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Constant success shows us but one side of the world. For as it surrounds us with friends who will tell us only our merits,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/constant-success-shows-us-but-one-side-of-the-world-for-as-it/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [I've never compromised who I am not ever. If I've gotten anywhere in my life it's been on my own merits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cher/i-ve-never-compromised-who-i-am-not-ever-if-i-ve-gotten-anywhere-in/) [Cher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cher/) > [Even the most abject have a sense of superiority based on powerful though undefined merits.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/even-the-most-abject-have-a-sense-of-superiority-based-on-powerful/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [Whatever grounds there are for making merit productive of a future birth, all these do not equal a sixteenth part of the liberation of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/whatever-grounds-there-are-for-making-merit-productive-of-a-future/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [Well, just that there would be somebody in the office and the voters - it was more or less an understanding in the entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/well-just-that-there-would-be-somebody-in-the-office-and-the-voters/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) ## More by Francois De La Rochefoucauld > [Our own distrust gives a fair pretence for the knavery of other people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-own-distrust-gives-a-fair-pretence-for-the-knavery-of-other-people/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Behind many acts that are thought ridiculous there lie wise and weighty motives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/behind-many-acts-that-are-thought-ridiculous-there-lie-wise-and/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [“Passion often makes a madman of the cleverest man, and renders the greatest fools clever.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/passion-often-makes-a-madman-of-the-cleverest-man-and-renders-the/) [François de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Perseverance is neither praiseworthy nor blameworthy; for it seems to be only the enduring of certain inclinations and opinions which men neither give themselves…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/perseverance-is-neither-praiseworthy-nor-blameworthy-for-it-seems-to/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [A woman is faithful to her first lover for a long time - unless she happens to take a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/a-woman-is-faithful-to-her-first-lover-for-a-long-time-unless-she/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We are almost always wearied in the company of persons with whom we are not permitted to be weary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-are-almost-always-wearied-in-the-company-of-persons-with-whom-we/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The love of new acquaintance comes not so much from being weary of what we had before, or from any satisfaction there is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-love-of-new-acquaintance-comes-not-so-much-from-being-weary-of/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [It is sometimes necessary to play the fool to avoid being deceived by cunning men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/it-is-sometimes-necessary-to-play-the-fool-to-avoid-being-deceived-by/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The intention of never deceiving often exposes us to deception.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-intention-of-never-deceiving-often-exposes-us-to-deception/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy springs more from love of self than from love of another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-springs-more-from-love-of-self-than-from-love-of-another/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Our distrust of another justifies his deceit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/our-distrust-of-another-justifies-his-deceit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [No persons are more frequently wrong, than those who will not admit they are wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/no-persons-are-more-frequently-wrong-than-those-who-will-not-admit/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it. In jealousy there is more of self-love than of love to another.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/jealousy-is-always-born-with-love-but-does-not-die-with-it-in/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [The greatest of all gifts is the power to estimate things at their true worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/the-greatest-of-all-gifts-is-the-power-to-estimate-things-at-their/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) > [We have not strength enough to follow our reason so far as it would carry us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/we-have-not-strength-enough-to-follow-our-reason-so-far-as-it-would/) [Francois de La Rochefoucauld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) [Explore all 1,134 Francois De La Rochefoucauld quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/) ## More Gratitude quotes > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Gratitude isn't just a feeling, it's an action. Expressing gratitude by writing in a journal, taking a photo, or shooting a video creates a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janice-kaplan/gratitude-isn-t-just-a-feeling-it-s-an-action-expressing-gratitude-by/) [Janice Kaplan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/janice-kaplan/) > [“A treacherous President stood in the way; and it can be easily seen how reluctant good men might be to admit an apostasy which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-douglass/a-treacherous-president-stood-in-the-way-and-it-can-be-easily-seen/) [Frederick Douglass](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-douglass/) > [I feel very grateful to be alive and well enough to make music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-feel-very-grateful-to-be-alive-and-well-enough-to-make-music/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [We only enter into the full life if our faith gives thanks. Because how else do we accept His free gift of salvation if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-voskamp/we-only-enter-into-the-full-life-if-our-faith-gives-thanks-because/) [Ann Voskamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-voskamp/) > [I listen to heavy metal thanks to my son. When I argue with him on the kind of music he is listening to, he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zeenat-aman/i-listen-to-heavy-metal-thanks-to-my-son-when-i-argue-with-him-on-the/) [Zeenat Aman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zeenat-aman/) > [“Thanks for teaching us to talk. Thanks for teaching us to be of the world and in the world and to make our way.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-isay/thanks-for-teaching-us-to-talk-thanks-for-teaching-us-to-be-of-the/) [Dave Isay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-isay/) > [Wine is one of the most civilized things in the world and one of the most natural things of the world that has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernest-hemingway/wine-is-one-of-the-most-civilized-things-in-the-world-and-one-of-the/) [Ernest Hemingway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernest-hemingway/) > [I want to thank each and every one of you for having extinguished yourselves this session.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gib-lewis/i-want-to-thank-each-and-every-one-of-you-for-having-extinguished/) [Gib Lewis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gib-lewis/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Be in a state of gratitude for everything that shows up in your life. Be thankful for the storms as well as the smooth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/be-in-a-state-of-gratitude-for-everything-that-shows-up-in-your-life/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [“Good Seeds! Gratitude is the Greatest Attitude that has no Substitute.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-kelvin-clive/good-seeds-gratitude-is-the-greatest-attitude-that-has-no-substitute/) [Bernard Kelvin Clive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-kelvin-clive/) > [Man has an almost infinite capacity for taking things and people for granted and thereby missing out on the pleasure of being grateful that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aldous-huxley/man-has-an-almost-infinite-capacity-for-taking-things-and-people-for/) [Aldous Huxley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aldous-huxley/) > [“and man, though idiotic, and knowing not what he does, yet full of the sweet things of love and gratitude.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/and-man-though-idiotic-and-knowing-not-what-he-does-yet-full-of-the/) [Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/) [Browse all 9,111 Gratitude quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gratitude/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francois De La Rochefoucauld" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness-for-his-own-ends/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Gratitude" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness-for-his-own-ends/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/1b8/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld-1_gratitude_he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness_2157744.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“He merits no thanks who does a kindness for his own ends.” — Francois De La Rochefoucauld", "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": "Francois De La Rochefoucauld", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "He merits no thanks who does...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness-for-his-own-ends/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-de-la-rochefoucauld/he-merits-no-thanks-who-does-a-kindness-for-his-own-ends/#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 } } ] } ```