--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Once you have done a man a service, what…" description: "\"Once you have done a man a service, what more reward would you have? Is it not enough to have obeyed the laws of your own nature, without expecting to ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/marcus-aurelius-139_done_once-you-have-done-a-man-a-service-what_1392358.jpg" --- # Once you have done a man a service, what more reward would… ![“Once you have done a man a service, what more reward would you have? Is it not enough to have obeyed the laws of your own nature, without expecting to be paid for it?” quote by Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/marcus-aurelius-139_done_once-you-have-done-a-man-a-service-what_1392358.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/marcus-aurelius-139_done_once-you-have-done-a-man-a-service-what_1392358.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/70a/marcus-aurelius-139_done_once-you-have-done-a-man-a-service-what_1392358.jpg) > “Once you have done a man a service, what more reward would you have? Is it not enough to have obeyed the laws of your own nature, without expecting to be paid for it?” [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True fulfillment comes from acting according to nature and virtue, not from external rewards or payment. **In simple terms:** Serve without expecting payment; follow nature’s law. Key Takeaway Act virtuously for its own sake. Themes virtue self‑reliance philosophy Mood reflective serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Helping a colleague - volunteering - daily chores - personal integrity Key Concepts Stoicism ethical conduct Questions to Reflect On - What motivates you to help others? - Can you find satisfaction without external reward? A Different Perspective May ignore practical needs for sustenance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Reward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reward/) [Rewards](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rewards/) [Service](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/service/) ## Related quotes > [Service without reward is punishment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/service-without-reward-is-punishment/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [“Whatever talent a person has should be dedicated to the rest of humanity - indeed to all living beings. Therein lies fulfillment. All men…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sathya-sai-baba/whatever-talent-a-person-has-should-be-dedicated-to-the-rest-of/) [Sathya Sai Baba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sathya-sai-baba/) > [Service to man is service to god](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/swami-vivekananda/service-to-man-is-service-to-god/) [Swami Vivekananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/swami-vivekananda/) > [We are all pioneers in the Age of Aquarius. No man can give a man anything other than love. No man can give a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh-yogi/we-are-all-pioneers-in-the-age-of-aquarius-no-man-can-give-a-man/) [Harbhajan Singh Yogi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh-yogi/) > [Mud, rubbish and dirt are man's companions all his life; shouldn't they be precious to him, and isn't one doing man's service to remind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-dubuffet/mud-rubbish-and-dirt-are-man-s-companions-all-his-life-shouldn-t-they/) [Jean Dubuffet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-dubuffet/) > [Knowledge is wonderful and truth serene But man in their service bleeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bhartrhari/knowledge-is-wonderful-and-truth-serene-but-man-in-their-service/) [Bhartrhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bhartrhari/) > [Man should not be in the service of society, society should be in the service of man. When man is in the service of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/man-should-not-be-in-the-service-of-society-society-should-be-in-the-2/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) > [The very foundation of the living of life lies in the desire of every man to give service to fulfill the needs of his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-russell/the-very-foundation-of-the-living-of-life-lies-in-the-desire-of-every/) [Walter Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-russell/) > [“Man should not be in the service of society, society should be in the service of man. 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Let this always be present to thy mind, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/have-i-done-something-for-the-general-interest-well-then-i-have-had/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [I've always made sure that I tour with bands that people aren't expecting me to tour with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mayer-hawthorne/i-ve-always-made-sure-that-i-tour-with-bands-that-people-aren-t/) [Mayer Hawthorne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mayer-hawthorne/) ## More by Marcus Aurelius > [A man should be upright, not kept upright.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/a-man-should-be-upright-not-kept-upright/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Everything is mere opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/everything-is-mere-opinion/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [If any man has done wrong, the harm is his own. But perhaps he has not done wrong.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/if-any-man-has-done-wrong-the-harm-is-his-own-but-perhaps-he-has-not/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [Pray look upon the plants and birds, the ants, spiders, and bees, and you will see them all exerting their nature, and busy in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/pray-look-upon-the-plants-and-birds-the-ants-spiders-and-bees-and-you/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“We should remark the grace and fascination that there is even in the incidentals of Nature's processes.. When a loaf of bread,. for instance,.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-should-remark-the-grace-and-fascination-that-there-is-even-in-the/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [My true Self is free. 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But what can exist without it? What's closer to nature's heart? Can you take a hot bath and leave the firewood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/frightened-of-change-but-what-can-exist-without-it-what-s-closer-to/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [We are too much accustomed to attribute to a single cause that which is the product of several, and the majority of our controversies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/we-are-too-much-accustomed-to-attribute-to-a-single-cause-that-which/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [“At dawn, when you have trouble getting out of bed, tell yourself, "I have to go to work - as a human being. 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