--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Those who can't be honest, are honestly…" description: "\"Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being dishonest.\" — Melchor Lim" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg" --- # Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being… ![“Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being dishonest.” quote by Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg) > “Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being dishonest.” [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Dishonesty can be a clever disguise for those lacking integrity, revealing a paradox in moral behavior. **In simple terms:** Being dishonest is a false cleverness. Key Takeaway Value honesty over clever deceit. Themes ethics integrity paradox Mood reflective cautionary Type philosophical ethical When to use this quote - personal relationships - business negotiations - political discourse Key Concepts moral philosophy social behavior Questions to Reflect On - When have you chosen honesty over a shortcut? - What are the costs of deceit? A Different Perspective Cleverness without honesty can backfire and erode trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/) ## Related quotes > [God is clever, but not dishonest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/god-is-clever-but-not-dishonest/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [“You say be honest, but honestly you don't want honesty”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-perry/you-say-be-honest-but-honestly-you-don-t-want-honesty/) [William Perry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-perry/) > [We will be completely honest with each other. So...Honestly? You're the most amazing person I've ever met. You're gorgeous inside and out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-will-be-completely-honest-with-each-other-so-honestly-you-re-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I can experiment, I can be honest, and honestly, musically, I can't be touched.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tricky/i-can-experiment-i-can-be-honest-and-honestly-musically-i-can-t-be/) [Tricky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tricky/) > [~To be Honest I honestly dont think there will be an US again... I just wish he would realize I much I miss him… < 3](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/she-s-gone/to-be-honest-i-honestly-dont-think-there-will-be-an-us-again-i-just/) She's\_gone > [I've never seen more dishonest media than frankly, the political media. I thought the financial media was much better, much more honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ve-never-seen-more-dishonest-media-than-frankly-the-political-media/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [In the long run, I believe that honesty is definitely the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for a short term,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/in-the-long-run-i-believe-that-honesty-is-definitely-the-best-policy/) [Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/) > [Nixon was the most dishonest individual I have ever met in my life. He lied to his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/nixon-was-the-most-dishonest-individual-i-have-ever-met-in-my-life-he/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [Promises are always broken and never kept. Dishonest people do what they want, when they want and dont care about who gets hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promises-are-always-broken-and-never-kept-dishonest-people-do-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“I can’t afford to be dishonest. I also can’t afford to be poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-can-t-afford-to-be-dishonest-i-also-can-t-afford-to-be-poor/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [“I wouldn’t mind politicians lying to me, stealing from me, or senselessly making life difficult if they didn’t try to claim they were looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-mind-politicians-lying-to-me-stealing-from-me-or/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Yes, even I am dishonest. Not in many ways, but in some. Forty-one, I think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/yes-even-i-am-dishonest-not-in-many-ways-but-in-some-forty-one-i/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [It is intellectually dishonest to lump venture investors with hedge fund and buy-out investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/it-is-intellectually-dishonest-to-lump-venture-investors-with-hedge/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) ## More by Melchor Lim > [The premises from which we begin are not arbitrary ones, not dogmas, but real premises from which abstraction can only be made in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-premises-from-which-we-begin-are-not-arbitrary-ones-not-dogmas/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Beware of the strong possibility that any state of a human, whether good or bad, might be the case of any other fellow human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/beware-of-the-strong-possibility-that-any-state-of-a-human-whether/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [If you are too afraid of failure, you cant possibly do what needs to be done to succeed in living a fulfilling life. The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-are-too-afraid-of-failure-you-cant-possibly-do-what-needs-to/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Every day brings new lessons and new possibilities. There is always a way to take the next step forward on the path you've chosen.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/every-day-brings-new-lessons-and-new-possibilities-there-is-always-a/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Money should be ones demand and command one should not become slave of money..](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/money-should-be-ones-demand-and-command-one-should-not-become-slave/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [When you give your 100% to your compromises then they become sacrifices… And sacrifices never hurt us,they give us a smile on our face,a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/when-you-give-your-100-to-your-compromises-then-they-become/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Instead of taking one step at a time, I run and fall on purpose. It makes life more fun. Besides you'll know when the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/instead-of-taking-one-step-at-a-time-i-run-and-fall-on-purpose-it/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [An obstacle is often a stepping stone... Things that appear to be obstacles are often helpful in the long run.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/an-obstacle-is-often-a-stepping-stone-things-that-appear-to-be/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Set urself free…no guts no glory...live ur life the way u wnt it...and no regrets…u hve ur own way of a living...keep it up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/set-urself-free-no-guts-no-glory-live-ur-life-the-way-u-wnt-it-and-no/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [Success is not as sweet if youve never experienced failure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/success-is-not-as-sweet-if-youve-never-experienced-failure/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [So many people wait around for the stars to align to do what they're here to do. The perfect moment, the perfect opportunity, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/so-many-people-wait-around-for-the-stars-to-align-to-do-what-they-re/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [When a boy tells a girl something she doesn't like she will remember it forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/when-a-boy-tells-a-girl-something-she-doesn-t-like-she-will-remember/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [The things you do determine the way people perceive you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/the-things-you-do-determine-the-way-people-perceive-you/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [If a girl cries for you, then think surely she loves you truly... ... and if a boy cries for you then don't think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-a-girl-cries-for-you-then-think-surely-she-loves-you-truly-and-if/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) > [If you want an interesting life. Become interested.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/if-you-want-an-interesting-life-become-interested/) [Melchor Lim](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) [Explore all 1,730 Melchor Lim quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/) ## More Dishonest quotes > [I love him who is ashamed when the dice fall in his favour, and who then asketh: "Am I a dishonest player?" - for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/i-love-him-who-is-ashamed-when-the-dice-fall-in-his-favour-and-who/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [It is intellectually dishonest to lump venture investors with hedge fund and buy-out investors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ferreira/it-is-intellectually-dishonest-to-lump-venture-investors-with-hedge/) [Jose Ferreira](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ferreira/) > [Yes, even I am dishonest. Not in many ways, but in some. Forty-one, I think it is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/yes-even-i-am-dishonest-not-in-many-ways-but-in-some-forty-one-i/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [“I wouldn’t mind politicians lying to me, stealing from me, or senselessly making life difficult if they didn’t try to claim they were looking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-wouldn-t-mind-politicians-lying-to-me-stealing-from-me-or/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [I've never seen more dishonest media than frankly, the political media. I thought the financial media was much better, much more honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-ve-never-seen-more-dishonest-media-than-frankly-the-political-media/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [“I can’t afford to be dishonest. I also can’t afford to be poor.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jarod-kintz/i-can-t-afford-to-be-dishonest-i-also-can-t-afford-to-be-poor/) [Jarod Kintz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jarod-kintz/) > [Promises are always broken and never kept. Dishonest people do what they want, when they want and dont care about who gets hurt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/promises-are-always-broken-and-never-kept-dishonest-people-do-what/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nixon was the most dishonest individual I have ever met in my life. He lied to his wife, his family, his friends, his colleagues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-goldwater/nixon-was-the-most-dishonest-individual-i-have-ever-met-in-my-life-he/) [Barry Goldwater](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-goldwater/) > [In the long run, I believe that honesty is definitely the best policy. One can get away by being dishonest for a short term,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kapil-dev/in-the-long-run-i-believe-that-honesty-is-definitely-the-best-policy/) [Kapil Dev](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kapil-dev/) > [To go into a competition and not strive to win is to be a dishonest competitor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-novak/to-go-into-a-competition-and-not-strive-to-win-is-to-be-a-dishonest/) [Michael Novak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-novak/) > [Short of the dishonest, the illegal, and the cruel, there's only one thing my son could do that would really disappoint me: not liking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/celeste-ng/short-of-the-dishonest-the-illegal-and-the-cruel-there-s-only-one/) [Celeste Ng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/celeste-ng/) > [We are looking at a lot of dishonest news that comes across where people are lying outrageously about other people. And I hope that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernie-sanders/we-are-looking-at-a-lot-of-dishonest-news-that-comes-across-where/) [Bernie Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernie-sanders/) > [It would be dishonest to say winning an Oscar wouldn't be awesome. I'm sure it would be great, but if it matters all that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ti-west/it-would-be-dishonest-to-say-winning-an-oscar-wouldn-t-be-awesome-i-m/) [Ti West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ti-west/) > [Dishonest hearts burn bridges. Don't worry if they move forward form mistreating you, they have nothing to fall back on. They torched it all](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dishonest-hearts-burn-bridges-don-t-worry-if-they-move-forward-form/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Floating the idea that every kid in Brixton can become a whizkid at information technology is dishonest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-starkey/floating-the-idea-that-every-kid-in-brixton-can-become-a-whizkid-at/) [David Starkey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-starkey/) Browse all 306 Dishonest quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being dishonest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Melchor Lim" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-clever-being-dishonest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Dishonest" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-clever-being-dishonest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/40b/melchor-lim-61_dishonest_those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-c_400279.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Those who can't be honest, are honestly clever being dishonest.” — Melchor Lim", "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": "Melchor Lim", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melchor-lim/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Those who can't be honest, are...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-clever-being-dishonest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melchor-lim/those-who-can-t-be-honest-are-honestly-clever-being-dishonest/#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 } } ] } ```