--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a…" description: "\"“Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie!”\" — Fyodor Dostoyevsky" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg" --- # Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie! ![“Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie!” quote by Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg) > ““Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie!”” [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Appearances can conceal inner falsehoods; external truth may mask internal deception. **In simple terms:** Looks can be deceiving. Key Takeaway Check inner motives. Themes integrity selfawareness perception Mood reflective serious Type philosophical literary When to use this quote - personal relationships - political rhetoric - media analysis Key Concepts existentialism psychology Questions to Reflect On - What truth are you ignoring inside? - How do you reconcile outward honesty with inner conflict? A Different Perspective External truth may be manipulated. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Inwardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inwardly/) [Inwardly Lie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inwardly-lie-6004915/) [Outwardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outwardly-675557/) [Outwardly Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/outwardly-truth-6004916/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truth Inwardly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth-inwardly-4230934/) ## Related quotes > [Such as every man is inwardly so he judgeth outwardly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/such-as-every-man-is-inwardly-so-he-judgeth-outwardly/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Character is just what we inwardly are and outwardly do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-chinmoy/character-is-just-what-we-inwardly-are-and-outwardly-do/) [Sri Chinmoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-chinmoy/) > [Truth, acceptance of the truth, is a shattering experience. It shatters the binding shroud of culture trance. It rips apart smugness, arrogance, superiority, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paula-gunn-allen/truth-acceptance-of-the-truth-is-a-shattering-experience-it-shatters/) [Paula Gunn Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paula-gunn-allen/) > [Politeness makes one appear outwardly as they should be within.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-de-la-bruyere/politeness-makes-one-appear-outwardly-as-they-should-be-within/) [Jean de la Bruyere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-de-la-bruyere/) > [Well, I do get amped up - maybe I'm just not outwardly as out there as some of the other guys would be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brendan-bottcher/well-i-do-get-amped-up-maybe-i-m-just-not-outwardly-as-out-there-as/) [Brendan Bottcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brendan-bottcher/) > [Many times we ask people to march outwardly, when we haven't yet spent the needed time inwardly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-c-maxwell/many-times-we-ask-people-to-march-outwardly-when-we-haven-t-yet-spent/) [John C. 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Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-a-lindbergh/) > [Whether outwardly or inwardly, whether in space or time, the farther we penetrate the unknown, the vaster and more marvelous it becomes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-lindbergh/whether-outwardly-or-inwardly-whether-in-space-or-time-the-farther-we/) [Charles Lindbergh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-lindbergh/) > [Outward, thanks to the knowledge of physical laws, man could subdue (or subjugate...) nature, but inwardly, he remained a slave to it. For, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/outward-thanks-to-the-knowledge-of-physical-laws-man-could-subdue-or/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [Religion is inwardly focused and driven only to sustain itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kary-mullis/religion-is-inwardly-focused-and-driven-only-to-sustain-itself/) [Kary Mullis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kary-mullis/) > [Inwardly you are God, outwardly you are a person. Instead of thinking you are just a person, that appearance, you can awake to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-harding/inwardly-you-are-god-outwardly-you-are-a-person-instead-of-thinking/) [Douglas Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-harding/) > [Each of us needs periods in which our minds can focus inwardly. Solitude is an essential experience for the mind to organize its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/each-of-us-needs-periods-in-which-our-minds-can-focus-inwardly/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [“All believers must learn the habit of inwardly redirecting thoughts toward faith, hope and love, and away from the lies that create hopelessness, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backlund/all-believers-must-learn-the-habit-of-inwardly-redirecting-thoughts/) [Steve Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-backlund/) ## More by Fyodor Dostoyevsky > [“Beauty is not only a terrible thing, it is also a mysterious thing. There God and the Devil strive for mastery, and the battleground…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/beauty-is-not-only-a-terrible-thing-it-is-also-a-mysterious-thing/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Listen! I know it's not right to talk. Better to set an example, better to just start - I have already started - and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/listen-i-know-it-s-not-right-to-talk-better-to-set-an-example-better/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“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/) > [“And what if there are only spiders there, or something of that sort”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/and-what-if-there-are-only-spiders-there-or-something-of-that-sort/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“The morning was so damp and misty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/the-morning-was-so-damp-and-misty/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I repeat, I repeat with emphasis: all "direct" persons and men of action are active just because they are stupid and limited. How explain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-repeat-i-repeat-with-emphasis-all-direct-persons-and-men-of-action/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“He is a man of intelligence, but to act sensibly, intelligence is not enough.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/he-is-a-man-of-intelligence-but-to-act-sensibly-intelligence-is-not/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [ “if \[God\] doesn't exist, man is the chief of the earth, of the universe. Magnificent! Only how is he going to be good without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/if-god-doesn-t-exist-man-is-the-chief-of-the-earth-of-the-universe/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“From an encounter in 1862... “Dickens told me,” Dostoyevsky recalled in a letter written years later, “that all the good, simple people in his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/from-an-encounter-in-1862-dickens-told-me-dostoyevsky-recalled-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“It must be the top drawer," he reflected. "So she carries the keys in a pocket on the right. All in one bunch on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/it-must-be-the-top-drawer-he-reflected-so-she-carries-the-keys-in-a/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“- You take evil for good. It's a passing crisis. It's the result of your illness, perhaps. - You do despise me! It's simply…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/you-take-evil-for-good-it-s-a-passing-crisis-it-s-the-result-of-your/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“Clouds overlaid the sky as with a shroud of mist, and everything looked sad, rainy, and threatening under a fine drizzle which was beating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/clouds-overlaid-the-sky-as-with-a-shroud-of-mist-and-everything/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“People who can speak well, speak briefly.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/people-who-can-speak-well-speak-briefly/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“I think I could stand anything, any suffering, only to be able to say and to repeat to myself every moment, 'I exist.' In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/i-think-i-could-stand-anything-any-suffering-only-to-be-able-to-say/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) > [“There is no more ceaseless or tormenting care for man, as long as he remains free, than to find someone to bow down to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/there-is-no-more-ceaseless-or-tormenting-care-for-man-as-long-as-he/) [Fyodor Dostoyevsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) [Explore all 1,078 Fyodor Dostoyevsky quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/) ## More Inwardly quotes > [“All believers must learn the habit of inwardly redirecting thoughts toward faith, hope and love, and away from the lies that create hopelessness, fear,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-backlund/all-believers-must-learn-the-habit-of-inwardly-redirecting-thoughts/) [Steve Backlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-backlund/) > [Each of us needs periods in which our minds can focus inwardly. Solitude is an essential experience for the mind to organize its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-j-siegel/each-of-us-needs-periods-in-which-our-minds-can-focus-inwardly/) [Daniel J. Siegel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-j-siegel/) > [Such as every man is inwardly so he judgeth outwardly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/such-as-every-man-is-inwardly-so-he-judgeth-outwardly/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Inwardly you are God, outwardly you are a person. Instead of thinking you are just a person, that appearance, you can awake to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-harding/inwardly-you-are-god-outwardly-you-are-a-person-instead-of-thinking/) [Douglas Harding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-harding/) > [Religion is inwardly focused and driven only to sustain itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kary-mullis/religion-is-inwardly-focused-and-driven-only-to-sustain-itself/) [Kary Mullis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kary-mullis/) > [Outward, thanks to the knowledge of physical laws, man could subdue (or subjugate...) nature, but inwardly, he remained a slave to it. For, when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/african-spir/outward-thanks-to-the-knowledge-of-physical-laws-man-could-subdue-or/) [African Spir](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/african-spir/) > [As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that. Let not your right hand know what…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-conforming-outwardly-and-living-your-own-life-inwardly-i-do/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“I am always able to speak with him (Christ) inwardly. But I am nevertheless just a lowly little man who does not always reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi/i-am-always-able-to-speak-with-him-christ-inwardly-but-i-am/) [Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-emeritus-benedict-xvi/) > [To live fully, outwardly and inwardly, not to ignore the external reality for the sake of the inner life, or the reverse, that's quite…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/etty-hillesum/to-live-fully-outwardly-and-inwardly-not-to-ignore-the-external/) [Etty Hillesum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/etty-hillesum/) > [God does not rule the world outwardly by gravitation and chemical affinity, but inwardly in the heart of man: as is your soul, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/egon-friedell/god-does-not-rule-the-world-outwardly-by-gravitation-and-chemical/) [Egon Friedell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/egon-friedell/) > [But inwardly we are as corrupt as the person who sits in an office and plans war-because, we want to be somebody in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/but-inwardly-we-are-as-corrupt-as-the-person-who-sits-in-an-office/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [“You have built yourself inwardly to be the most admirable. Your evidence always comes to your world as a puzzle. You create your niche…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anyaele-sam-chiyson/you-have-built-yourself-inwardly-to-be-the-most-admirable-your/) [Anyaele Sam Chiyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anyaele-sam-chiyson/) > [“Outward pressure is always an opportunity to be inwardly transformed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-bevere/outward-pressure-is-always-an-opportunity-to-be-inwardly-transformed/) [Lisa Bevere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-bevere/) > [“When you journey inwardly exploring yourself, a sense of personal trust begins.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/when-you-journey-inwardly-exploring-yourself-a-sense-of-personal/) [David W. Earle LPC- Love is Not Enough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-w-earle-lpc-love-is-not-enough/) > [The poorer we are inwardly, the more we try to enrich ourselves outwardly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-lee/the-poorer-we-are-inwardly-the-more-we-try-to-enrich-ourselves/) [Bruce Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-lee/) [Browse all 70 Inwardly quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inwardly/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie!”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a-lie/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Inwardly" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a-lie/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0e0/fyodor-dostoyevsky-94_inwardly_outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a_2399532.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly, a lie!” — Fyodor Dostoyevsky", "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": "Fyodor Dostoyevsky", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fyodor-dostoyevsky/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Outwardly it's the truth, but inwardly,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a-lie/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fyodor-dostoyevsky/outwardly-it-s-the-truth-but-inwardly-a-lie/#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 } } ] } ```