---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: To be right is more honorable than to be…"
description: "\"To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.\" — Henry David Thoreau"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg"
---

#  To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.

![“To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.” quote by Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg)

> “To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.”

[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.

Moral integrity is valued over mere legal compliance; ethical duty outweighs lawfulness.

**In simple terms:** Being right > being law abiding.

Key Takeaway

Prioritize conscience over conformity.

Themes

ethics law conscience civil disobedience

Mood

thoughtful serious

Type

philosophical political

When to use this quote

- activism
- whistleblowing
- personal decisions

Key Concepts

moral philosophy civil responsibility

Questions to Reflect On

- When should one obey an unjust law?
- What are the costs of moral defiance?

A Different Perspective

Legal consequences can be severe; not all laws are unjust.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Abiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abiding/) [Honorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honorable/) [Honorable Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honorable-law-605352/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Law Abiding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law-abiding-396050/) [Right Honorable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-honorable-605353/)

## Related quotes

> [Honor's a thing too subtle for wisdom; if honor lie in eating, he's right honorable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-beaumont/honor-s-a-thing-too-subtle-for-wisdom-if-honor-lie-in-eating-he-s/)

[Francis Beaumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-beaumont/)

> [For most people, the question why be good - as distinguished from merely law abiding - is a simple one. Because God commands it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-dershowitz/for-most-people-the-question-why-be-good-as-distinguished-from-merely/)

[Alan Dershowitz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-dershowitz/)

> [Ethics are not necessarily to do with being law-abiding. I am very interested in the moral path, doing the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-atkinson/ethics-are-not-necessarily-to-do-with-being-law-abiding-i-am-very/)

[Kate Atkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-atkinson/)

> [“One legislator accused me of having a 19th-century attitude on law and order. That is a totally false charge. I have an 18th-century attitude.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-legislator-accused-me-of-having-a-19th-century-attitude-on-law/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [There is simply no room for anti-Semitism in a democratic and law-abiding state.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aleksander-kwasniewski/there-is-simply-no-room-for-anti-semitism-in-a-democratic-and-law/)

[Aleksander Kwasniewski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aleksander-kwasniewski/)

> [“The one thing our nation needs desperately is law-abiding citizens, not just those who abide by human laws but those who abide by divine…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-pawson/the-one-thing-our-nation-needs-desperately-is-law-abiding-citizens/)

[David Pawson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-pawson/)

> [I am pathetically law-abiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caitlin-moran/i-am-pathetically-law-abiding/)

[Caitlin Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caitlin-moran/)

> [A satyagrahi is nothing if not instinctively law-abiding.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/a-satyagrahi-is-nothing-if-not-instinctively-law-abiding/)

[Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/)

> [Law-abiding Americans deserve to know that their government will not secretly tap their phones, read their medical records, access their library accounts or otherwise…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-neas/law-abiding-americans-deserve-to-know-that-their-government-will-not/)

[Ralph Neas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-neas/)

> [“Unconditional love is like a country of two with no laws and no government. Which is all fine if everyone is peaceful and law…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/unconditional-love-is-like-a-country-of-two-with-no-laws-and-no/)

[Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/)

> [I say the phone records of law abiding citizens are none of their damn business!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rand-paul/i-say-the-phone-records-of-law-abiding-citizens-are-none-of-their/)

[Rand Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rand-paul/)

> [I'M FEARFUL because in the back of my mind I know that although I'm a law abiding citizen I could still be looked upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-watson/i-m-fearful-because-in-the-back-of-my-mind-i-know-that-although-i-m-a/)

[Benjamin Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-watson/)

> [All the research shows that being married, with all its ups and downs, is by far the most effective way of making young men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ferdinand-mount/all-the-research-shows-that-being-married-with-all-its-ups-and-downs/)

[Ferdinand Mount](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ferdinand-mount/)

> [Blatant attempts to attack a constitutionally guaranteed right and a law-abiding industry.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rob-bishop/blatant-attempts-to-attack-a-constitutionally-guaranteed-right-and-a/)

[Rob Bishop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rob-bishop/)

> [ You know what the \[Barack\] Obama administration keeps getting wrong is whenever anything bad happens they focus on law-abiding citizens instead of focusing on… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-cruz/you-know-what-the-barack-obama-administration-keeps-getting-wrong-is/)

[Ted Cruz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-cruz/)

## 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. Moreover I have tried it fairly and, strange as it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/as-for-doing-good-that-is-one-of-the-professions-which-is-full/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [A traveler who looks at things with an impartial eye may see what the oldest inhabitant has not observed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/a-traveler-who-looks-at-things-with-an-impartial-eye-may-see-what-the/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [In proportion as our inward life fails, we go more constantly and desperately to the post office. You may depend on it, that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/in-proportion-as-our-inward-life-fails-we-go-more-constantly-and/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [I had three chairs in my house; one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/i-had-three-chairs-in-my-house-one-for-solitude-two-for-friendship/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The still youthful energies of the globe have only to be directed in their proper channel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-still-youthful-energies-of-the-globe-have-only-to-be-directed-in/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Concord's little arch does not span all our fate, nor is what transpires under it law for the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/concord-s-little-arch-does-not-span-all-our-fate-nor-is-what/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [The lumberers rarely trouble themselves to put out their fires, such is the dampness of the primitive forest; and this is one cause, no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/the-lumberers-rarely-trouble-themselves-to-put-out-their-fires-such/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [“When he has obtained those things which are necessary to life, there is another alternative than to obtain the superfluities; and that is, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/when-he-has-obtained-those-things-which-are-necessary-to-life-there/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

> [Wealth is measured by the level of experience in all aspects of life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/wealth-is-measured-by-the-level-of-experience-in-all-aspects-of-life/)

[Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

[Explore all 3,376 Henry David Thoreau quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/)

## More Abiding quotes

> [If there is an abiding theme in 'The Pursuit of Happiness,' it is the idea that you come into the world already shaped by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-kennedy/if-there-is-an-abiding-theme-in-the-pursuit-of-happiness-it-is-the/)

[Douglas Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-kennedy/)

> [Why is it, my shadow-striding friend, that we don't fear dreams? We lose consciousness, lose control, things happen with no apparent logic and abiding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brent-weeks/why-is-it-my-shadow-striding-friend-that-we-don-t-fear-dreams-we-lose/)

[Brent Weeks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brent-weeks/)

> [I think that there is just a deep and abiding sexism that's part of your life from the moment that you're conscious as a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liz-w-garcia/i-think-that-there-is-just-a-deep-and-abiding-sexism-that-s-part-of/)

[Liz W. Garcia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liz-w-garcia/)

> [Faith is the capacity of the soul to perceive the abiding, the invisible in the visible.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leo-baeck/faith-is-the-capacity-of-the-soul-to-perceive-the-abiding-the/)

[Leo Baeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leo-baeck/)

> [I think we have two conflicting traditions in this country. I think it's important for us to recognize that we've got a tradition of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-think-we-have-two-conflicting-traditions-in-this-country-i-think-it/)

[Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/)

> [A wicked mortal is not the idea of God. He is little else than the expression of error. To suppose that sin, lust, hatred,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-baker-eddy/a-wicked-mortal-is-not-the-idea-of-god-he-is-little-else-than-the/)

[Mary Baker Eddy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-baker-eddy/)

> [When the penalty for a policeman's mistake is to put a criminal back out on the street, then we are hurting America; we are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-bauer/when-the-penalty-for-a-policeman-s-mistake-is-to-put-a-criminal-back/)

[Gary Bauer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-bauer/)

> [The value of a dollar is to buy just things; a dollar goes on increasing in value with all the genius and all the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/the-value-of-a-dollar-is-to-buy-just-things-a-dollar-goes-on/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [The aims of these three groups are entirely irreconcilable. The aim of the High is to remain where they are. The aim of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/the-aims-of-these-three-groups-are-entirely-irreconcilable-the-aim-of/)

[George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/)

> [After more than two decades of trying to destroy the firearms rights of more than 80 million law-abiding American gun owners - and statistically…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-gottlieb/after-more-than-two-decades-of-trying-to-destroy-the-firearms-rights/)

[Alan Gottlieb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-gottlieb/)

> [When you defile the pleasant streams, And the wild bird's abiding place, You massacre a million dreams, And cast your spittle in God's face](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-drinkwater/when-you-defile-the-pleasant-streams-and-the-wild-bird-s-abiding/)

[John Drinkwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-drinkwater/)

> [How can we hope to retain our freedom through the generations if we fail to teach our young that our liberty springs from an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-falwell/how-can-we-hope-to-retain-our-freedom-through-the-generations-if-we/)

[Jonathan Falwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-falwell/)

> [Love and friendship, two of life's abiding rewards, are endangered species in Hollywood. People crave both, mistaking alliance for friendship, lust for love, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynda-obst/love-and-friendship-two-of-life-s-abiding-rewards-are-endangered/)

[Lynda Obst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynda-obst/)

> [In a government like ours, the Crown is the abiding and unshakable element in government; politicians may come and go, but the Crown remains…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robertson-davies/in-a-government-like-ours-the-crown-is-the-abiding-and-unshakable/)

[Robertson Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robertson-davies/)

> [I sometimes forget that life is fragile. The fact that I have more time to dream my dreams and take my ease is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luci-swindoll/i-sometimes-forget-that-life-is-fragile-the-fact-that-i-have-more/)

[Luci Swindoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luci-swindoll/)

[Browse all 387 Abiding quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abiding/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Henry David Thoreau"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be-law-abiding/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Abiding"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be-law-abiding/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/684/henry-david-thoreau-20_abiding_to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be_1645447.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“To be right is more honorable than to be law abiding.” — 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": "To be right is more honorable...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be-law-abiding/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/to-be-right-is-more-honorable-than-to-be-law-abiding/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```