--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! I…" description: "\"Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! I sacrifice so much for it, with people: I forego, for truth's sake, discretion, loyalty, diplomacy, tact, polite ma..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/marvin-l-cohen-64512_altars_ah-the-truth-what-a-thing-it-is-i-sacrif_3060259.jpg" --- # Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! I sacrifice so much for… ![“Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! I sacrifice so much for it, with people: I forego, for truth's sake, discretion, loyalty, diplomacy, tact, polite manners, elegance, grace, poise, balance, good taste, conformity, image-role, fashionableness, polish, confidences, promises, ambition, consistency…” quote by Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/marvin-l-cohen-64512_altars_ah-the-truth-what-a-thing-it-is-i-sacrif_3060259.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/marvin-l-cohen-64512_altars_ah-the-truth-what-a-thing-it-is-i-sacrif_3060259.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/8a8/marvin-l-cohen-64512_altars_ah-the-truth-what-a-thing-it-is-i-sacrif_3060259.jpg) > “Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! I sacrifice so much for it, with people: I forego, for truth's sake, discretion, loyalty, diplomacy, tact, polite manners, elegance, grace, poise, balance, good taste, conformity, image-role, fashionableness, polish, confidences, promises, ambition, consistency, identity, clarity, comprehensibleness, good will, hypocrisy, and lots of other things--amass sacrifice, at truth's altar. God! is truth worth it? I hope it is. It better be, in fact.” [Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing truth demands personal sacrifices and ethical compromises. **In simple terms:** Truth costs personal sacrifices. Key Takeaway Weigh the cost of truth. Themes ethics personal sacrifice truth seeking Mood reflective serious Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - journalism - whistleblowing - personal relationships - public speaking Key Concepts moral philosophy integrity social pressure Questions to Reflect On - Is absolute truth worth personal loss? - How do you balance truth with social harmony? A Different Perspective Truth may be unattainable without balance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Altars](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altars/) [Ambition](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ambition/) [Balance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/balance/) [Clarity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/clarity/) [Conformity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conformity/) [Consistency](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/consistency/) [Diplomacy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/diplomacy/) [Discretion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discretion/) [Elegance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/elegance/) [Facts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/facts/) [Good taste](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-taste/) [Good will](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-will/) [Grace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grace/) [Hypocrisy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hypocrisy/) [Identity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/identity/) [Loyalty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/loyalty/) [Manners](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manners/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poise/) [Polite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/polite/) [Promise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/promise/) [Sacrifice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sacrifice/) [Tact](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tact/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [“You didn’t get it. Sacrifice is a part of life. It’s supposed to be. It’s not something to regret. It’s something to aspire to.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/you-didn-t-get-it-sacrifice-is-a-part-of-life-it-s-supposed-to-be-it/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [Kindness is not a virtue when you sacrifice the truth to achieve it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/drew-istotle/kindness-is-not-a-virtue-when-you-sacrifice-the-truth-to-achieve-it/) [Drew Istotle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/drew-istotle/) > [When a man has offered in sacrifice all that he has for the truth’s sake, not even withholding his life, and believing before God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-smith-jr/when-a-man-has-offered-in-sacrifice-all-that-he-has-for-the-truth-s/) [Joseph Smith, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-smith-jr/) > [“When conformity is required, as it is in Christianity, what are the results? To begin with, the sacrifice of truth inevitably follows. One can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-h-smith/when-conformity-is-required-as-it-is-in-christianity-what-are-the/) [George H. Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-h-smith/) > [God welcomes genuine service, and that is the service of a soul that offers the bare and simple sacrifice of truth; but from false…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philo/god-welcomes-genuine-service-and-that-is-the-service-of-a-soul-that/) [Philo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philo/) > [“This was the thing about life—nothing was ever perfect, and to gain one thing you often had to sacrifice another.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i-t-lucas/this-was-the-thing-about-life-nothing-was-ever-perfect-and-to-gain/) [I.T. Lucas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/i-t-lucas/) > [It was one thing to sacrifice your own life for someone else's. It was another thing entirely to bring into the mix a third…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodi-picoult/it-was-one-thing-to-sacrifice-your-own-life-for-someone-else-s-it-was/) [Jodi Picoult](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodi-picoult/) > [You have to make a lot of sacrifices, and the main thing you have to sacrifice is your privacy. It's funny because when I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/josh-turner/you-have-to-make-a-lot-of-sacrifices-and-the-main-thing-you-have-to/) [Josh Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/josh-turner/) > [I don't think I've ever been personally fulfilled performing. It's kind of a challenging thing; it's more of a sacrifice for the people that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vince-staples/i-don-t-think-i-ve-ever-been-personally-fulfilled-performing-it-s/) [Vince Staples](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vince-staples/) > [“Sometimes, even pretty simple situations can become tough, when the thing you love the most and the thing you have to sacrifice is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/m-h-rakib/sometimes-even-pretty-simple-situations-can-become-tough-when-the/) [M.H. Rakib](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/m-h-rakib/) > [I would far rather that India perished than that she won Her freedom at the sacrifice of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahatma-gandhi/i-would-far-rather-that-india-perished-than-that-she-won-her-freedom/) [Mahatma Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahatma-gandhi/) > [Peace is not to be purchased by the sacrifice of truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-calvin/peace-is-not-to-be-purchased-by-the-sacrifice-of-truth/) [John Calvin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-calvin/) > [“The most important thing is this: to sacrifice what you are now for what you can become tomorrow.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-alder/the-most-important-thing-is-this-to-sacrifice-what-you-are-now-for/) [Shannon Alder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shannon-alder/) > [Consequently, the truth of God lives in our souls more by the power of superior moral courage than by the light of an eminent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-merton/consequently-the-truth-of-god-lives-in-our-souls-more-by-the-power-of/) [Thomas Merton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-merton/) > [“Was it ever right to sacrifice one's truth for expedience?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sue-monk-kidd/was-it-ever-right-to-sacrifice-one-s-truth-for-expedience/) [Sue Monk Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sue-monk-kidd/) ## More by Marvin L. Cohen > [The museum is full of interesting things. All kinds of paintings are there. And then paintings too thick to put in a frame, that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-l-cohen/the-museum-is-full-of-interesting-things-all-kinds-of-paintings-are/) [Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) > [My friend had a brilliant idea. This impressed me. It reflected an immense deal of credit on his brain. But when he expressed it,it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-l-cohen/my-friend-had-a-brilliant-idea-this-impressed-me-it-reflected-an/) [Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) > [Your views are now my own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-l-cohen/your-views-are-now-my-own/) [Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) > [My friend devotes himself to his life, whenever he can find the spare time. His motto is: 'Don't just sit there: live!' So he's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marvin-l-cohen/my-friend-devotes-himself-to-his-life-whenever-he-can-find-the-spare/) [Marvin L. Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) [Explore all 5 Marvin L. Cohen quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marvin-l-cohen/) ## More Altars quotes > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. 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Go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabindranath-tagore/go-not-to-the-temple-to-put-flowers-upon-the-feet-of-god-first-fill/) [Rabindranath Tagore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabindranath-tagore/) > [And in any preaching you do, admonish the people concerning repentance, and that nobody can be saved except he who receives the most holy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-of-assisi/and-in-any-preaching-you-do-admonish-the-people-concerning-repentance/) [Francis of Assisi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-of-assisi/) > [Yes, thou art ever present, power divine; not circumscribed by time, nor fixed by space, confined to altars, nor to temples bound. In wealth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hannah-more/yes-thou-art-ever-present-power-divine-not-circumscribed-by-time-nor/) [Hannah More](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hannah-more/) > [The revolting details of childbirth had been hidden from me with such care that I was as surprised as I was horrified, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-curchod/the-revolting-details-of-childbirth-had-been-hidden-from-me-with-such/) [Suzanne Curchod](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-curchod/) > [Heroism, self-denial, and magnanimity, in all instances where they do not spring from a principle of religion, are but splendid altars on which we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-caleb-colton/heroism-self-denial-and-magnanimity-in-all-instances-where-they-do/) [Charles Caleb Colton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-caleb-colton/) > [It is by far the most elegant worship, hardly excepting the Greek mythology. What with incense, pictures, statues, altars, shrines, relics, and the real…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lord-byron/it-is-by-far-the-most-elegant-worship-hardly-excepting-the-greek/) [Lord Byron](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lord-byron/) > [For me it's really tough because you have to go to that place where you really, really don't want to go to or revisit.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morris-chestnut/for-me-it-s-really-tough-because-you-have-to-go-to-that-place-where/) [Morris Chestnut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morris-chestnut/) > [For piety lies not in being often seen turning a veiled head to stones, nor in approaching every altar, nor in lying prostratebefore the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucretius/for-piety-lies-not-in-being-often-seen-turning-a-veiled-head-to/) [Lucretius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucretius/) > [It is when we are in misery that we revere the gods; the prosperous seldom approach the altar.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silius-italicus/it-is-when-we-are-in-misery-that-we-revere-the-gods-the-prosperous/) [Silius Italicus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silius-italicus/) > [Pope Gelasius in his ninth letter (chap. 26) to the bishops of Lucania condemned the evil practice which had been introduced of women serving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-benedict-xiv/pope-gelasius-in-his-ninth-letter-chap-26-to-the-bishops-of-lucania/) [Pope Benedict XIV](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-benedict-xiv/) [Browse all 329 Altars quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/altars/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Ah, the truth, what a thing it is! 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