--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It is not enough that we are truthful; we…" description: "\"It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about.\" — Henry David Thoreau" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg" --- # It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and… ![“It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg) > “It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about.” [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Truthfulness requires not just honesty but aligning actions with higher moral purposes. **In simple terms:** Being truthful means living with purpose. Key Takeaway Cultivate integrity through purposeful actions. Themes ethics purpose truth philosophy Mood reflective thoughtful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - daily decisions - community service - environmental stewardship Key Concepts moral philosophy personal development Questions to Reflect On - What purpose guides your truthfulness? - How do you reconcile actions with values? A Different Perspective High ideals can be hard to maintain daily. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Being truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-truthful/) [Integrity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/integrity/) [Purpose](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/purpose/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) [Truthful](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truthful/) ## Related quotes > [I think what saved me is me being honest. I think I somewhow had the courage to do something and say something that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ellen-degeneres/i-think-what-saved-me-is-me-being-honest-i-think-i-somewhow-had-the/) [Ellen DeGeneres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ellen-degeneres/) > [I feel like you can't really be truthful as an artist and empathize with the human experience, unless you know your truth and you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-guerrero/i-feel-like-you-can-t-really-be-truthful-as-an-artist-and-empathize/) [Diane Guerrero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-guerrero/) > [Please be truthful, but also please be benevolent, please.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-safran-foer/please-be-truthful-but-also-please-be-benevolent-please/) [Jonathan Safran Foer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-safran-foer/) > [Acting's not about nose jobs and liposuction. It's about being truthful to what you're doing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phylicia-rashad/acting-s-not-about-nose-jobs-and-liposuction-it-s-about-being/) [Phylicia Rashad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phylicia-rashad/) > [If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/if-i-can-mean-to-people-if-i-can-symbolize-the-ability-to-pursue/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/i-think-the-currency-of-leadership-is-transparency-you-ve-got-to-be/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [I really love to act. I really love to touch the people with my work. It's about giving people what they want to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-really-love-to-act-i-really-love-to-touch-the-people-with-my-work/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) > [There is nothing to fear from truth…Being truthful is essential to being an independent thinker and obtaining greater understanding of what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/there-is-nothing-to-fear-from-truth-being-truthful-is-essential-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [When writing about oneself, one must strive to be truthful. Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [American traditions and the American ethic require us to be truthful, but the most important reason is that truth is the best propaganda and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-r-murrow/american-traditions-and-the-american-ethic-require-us-to-be-truthful/) [Edward R. Murrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-r-murrow/) > [I began to see myself as someone who can help others understand diversity rather than feeling like a social outcast. Ellen taught me to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/portia-de-rossi/i-began-to-see-myself-as-someone-who-can-help-others-understand/) [Portia de Rossi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/portia-de-rossi/) > [I believe politicians should aim to be accurate and truthful in what they say at all times. 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Along the way, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/i-began-making-pictures-because-i-wanted-to-record-what-supports-hope/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) ## More by Henry David Thoreau > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“Men say they know many things; But lo! they have taken wings, — The arts and sciences, And a thousand appliances; The wind that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/men-say-they-know-many-things-but-lo-they-have-taken-wings-the-arts/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [I am not afraid of praise, for I have practiced it on myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-am-not-afraid-of-praise-for-i-have-practiced-it-on-myself/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“All voting is a sort of gaming, like checkers or back gammon, with a slight moral tinge to it, a playing with right and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/all-voting-is-a-sort-of-gaming-like-checkers-or-back-gammon-with-a/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [“This spending of the best part of one's life earning money in order to enjoy a questionable liberty during the least valuable part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/this-spending-of-the-best-part-of-one-s-life-earning-money-in-order/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [As for doing good; that is one of the professions which is full. 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Truth is more important than modesty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roald-dahl/when-writing-about-oneself-one-must-strive-to-be-truthful-truth-is/) [Roald Dahl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roald-dahl/) > [Be truthful... and pay attention. I would also recommend the avoidance of credit cards.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-mccarthy/be-truthful-and-pay-attention-i-would-also-recommend-the-avoidance-of/) [Mary McCarthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-mccarthy/) > [There is nothing to fear from truth…Being truthful is essential to being an independent thinker and obtaining greater understanding of what is right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-dalio/there-is-nothing-to-fear-from-truth-being-truthful-is-essential-to/) [Ray Dalio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-dalio/) > [I really love to act. I really love to touch the people with my work. It's about giving people what they want to see.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cory-hardrict/i-really-love-to-act-i-really-love-to-touch-the-people-with-my-work/) [Cory Hardrict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cory-hardrict/) > [I think the currency of leadership is transparency. You've got to be truthful. I don't think you should be vulnerable every day, but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/howard-schultz/i-think-the-currency-of-leadership-is-transparency-you-ve-got-to-be/) [Howard Schultz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/howard-schultz/) > [If I can mean to people - if I can symbolize the ability to pursue gender equality, racial equality, and to be truthful about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anita-hill/if-i-can-mean-to-people-if-i-can-symbolize-the-ability-to-pursue/) [Anita Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anita-hill/) > [Acting's not about nose jobs and liposuction. 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Along the way, however,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-adams/i-began-making-pictures-because-i-wanted-to-record-what-supports-hope/) [Robert Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-adams/) [Browse all 125 Being truthful quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/being-truthful/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Henry David Thoreau" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we-must-cherish-and-carry-out/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Being truthful" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we-must-cherish-and-carry-out/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/939/henry-david-thoreau-20_being-truthful_it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we_1438979.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It is not enough that we are truthful; we must cherish and carry out high purposes to be truthful about.” — Henry David Thoreau", "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": "Henry David Thoreau", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It is not enough that we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we-must-cherish-and-carry-out/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/it-is-not-enough-that-we-are-truthful-we-must-cherish-and-carry-out/#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 } } ] } ```