--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a…" description: "\"It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better remain honest.\" — Norman Douglas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png" --- # It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better… ![“It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better remain honest.” quote by Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png) > “It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better remain honest.” [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A wise person can manage deception without losing integrity, while a fool should simply stay truthful. **In simple terms:** Wisdom handles lies; fools stay honest. Key Takeaway Choose honesty when unsure. Themes wisdom honesty deception Mood cautious thoughtful Type philosophical advice When to use this quote - Negotiations - political discourse - personal relationships - media consumption Key Concepts integrity communication trust ethics Questions to Reflect On - When is it better to be honest than clever? - How can you detect when a lie is being used? A Different Perspective Being overly clever can lead to manipulation and loss of trust. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Lying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lying/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Wisdom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom/) [Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise/) [Wise man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-man/) ## Related quotes > [“Deemed a fool is better than smartass.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/deemed-a-fool-is-better-than-smartass/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Even if I make a fool of myself, it's better to have tried.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kellan-lutz/even-if-i-make-a-fool-of-myself-it-s-better-to-have-tried/) [Kellan Lutz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kellan-lutz/) > [The greater the fool the better the dancer.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-hook/the-greater-the-fool-the-better-the-dancer/) Theodore Hook > [“To seek the truth while living a lie is to fool oneself . . . and a complete waste of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gene-ruyle/to-seek-the-truth-while-living-a-lie-is-to-fool-oneself-and-a/) [Gene Ruyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gene-ruyle/) > [A lie may fool someone else, but it tells you the truth: you're weak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/a-lie-may-fool-someone-else-but-it-tells-you-the-truth-you-re-weak/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [You can lie to yourself and fool yourself and rationalize that the choice you're making is what is right and what is true and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/you-can-lie-to-yourself-and-fool-yourself-and-rationalize-that-the/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [I've heard lots of people lie to themselves but they never fool anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/i-ve-heard-lots-of-people-lie-to-themselves-but-they-never-fool-anyone/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [Every song becomes an emotional journey for me, and only then will the soul of the song remain honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anirudh-ravichander/every-song-becomes-an-emotional-journey-for-me-and-only-then-will-the/) [Anirudh Ravichander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anirudh-ravichander/) > [He who would remain honest ought to keep away want.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/he-who-would-remain-honest-ought-to-keep-away-want/) [Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-gardiner-countess-of-blessington/) > [Fellows who have rascally faces have only one course to take, and that is to remain honest; otherwise, they would be arrested off-hand.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jules-verne/fellows-who-have-rascally-faces-have-only-one-course-to-take-and-that/) [Jules Verne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jules-verne/) > [You cannot adopt politics as a profession and remain honest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-cannot-adopt-politics-as-a-profession-and-remain-honest/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Public opinion which, to be sure, can at times be helpful, must never for an instant swerve us from what we know in our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornelia-otis-skinner/public-opinion-which-to-be-sure-can-at-times-be-helpful-must-never/) [Cornelia Otis Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornelia-otis-skinner/) > [When Eudæmonidas heard a philosopher arguing that only a wise man can be a good general, "This is a wonderful speech," said he; "but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plutarch/when-eud-monidas-heard-a-philosopher-arguing-that-only-a-wise-man-can/) [Plutarch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plutarch/) > [“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/) > [“Things are more like they are now...than they have EVER been before!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/uncle-arnie-mamath/things-are-more-like-they-are-now-than-they-have-ever-been-before/) Uncle Arnie Mamath ## More by Norman Douglas > [People who have reformed themselves has contributed their full share towards the reformation of their neighbor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/people-who-have-reformed-themselves-has-contributed-their-full-share/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [To find a friend one must close one eye. To keep him...two.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/to-find-a-friend-one-must-close-one-eye-to-keep-him-two/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [The pine stays green in winter... wisdom in hardship.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/the-pine-stays-green-in-winter-wisdom-in-hardship/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [The true cook is the perfect blend, the only perfect blend, of artist and philosopher. He knows his worth: he holds in his palm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/the-true-cook-is-the-perfect-blend-the-only-perfect-blend-of-artist/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [It seldom pays to be rude. It never pays to be only half-rude.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/it-seldom-pays-to-be-rude-it-never-pays-to-be-only-half-rude/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [One can always trust to time. Insert a wedge of time and nearly everything straightens itself out.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/one-can-always-trust-to-time-insert-a-wedge-of-time-and-nearly/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [Learn to foster an ardent imagination; so shall you descry beauty which others passed unheeded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/learn-to-foster-an-ardent-imagination-so-shall-you-descry-beauty/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [No one can expect a majority to be stirred by motives other than ignoble.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/no-one-can-expect-a-majority-to-be-stirred-by-motives-other-than/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [There is so much goodness in real life- do let us keep it out of our books.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/there-is-so-much-goodness-in-real-life-do-let-us-keep-it-out-of-our/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [No great man is ever born too soon or too late.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/no-great-man-is-ever-born-too-soon-or-too-late/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [The business of life is to enjoy oneself; everything else is a mockery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/the-business-of-life-is-to-enjoy-oneself-everything-else-is-a-mockery/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [Wine is a precarious aphrodisiac, and its fumes have blighted many a mating.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/wine-is-a-precarious-aphrodisiac-and-its-fumes-have-blighted-many-a/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [Nobody can misunderstand a boy like his own mother. Mothers at present can bring children into the world, but this performance is apt to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/nobody-can-misunderstand-a-boy-like-his-own-mother-mothers-at-present/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [You can construct the character of a man and his age not only from what he does and says, but from what he fails…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/you-can-construct-the-character-of-a-man-and-his-age-not-only-from/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) > [Bouillabaisse is only good because cooked by the French, who, if they cared to try, could produce an excellent and nutritious substitute out of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/bouillabaisse-is-only-good-because-cooked-by-the-french-who-if-they/) [Norman Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) [Explore all 44 Norman Douglas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/) ## More Fool quotes > [Do I look like a fool to you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamika-leeigh/do-i-look-like-a-fool-to-you/) [Tamika-leeigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamika-leeigh/) > [So the fool, as distinct from the scoundrel, is completely self- satisfied; in fact, he can easily become dangerous, as it does not take…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dietrich-bonhoeffer/so-the-fool-as-distinct-from-the-scoundrel-is-completely-self/) [Dietrich Bonhoeffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dietrich-bonhoeffer/) > [There are various orders of beauty, causing men to make fools of themselves in various styles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-eliot/there-are-various-orders-of-beauty-causing-men-to-make-fools-of/) [George Eliot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-eliot/) > [“Not wise, perhaps, to be rude to the Pope's favorite son, but my viper tongue still required a fool now and then on which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-quinn/not-wise-perhaps-to-be-rude-to-the-pope-s-favorite-son-but-my-viper/) [Kate Quinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-quinn/) > [He's a fool that marries; but he's a greater fool that does not marry a fool.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-wycherley/he-s-a-fool-that-marries-but-he-s-a-greater-fool-that-does-not-marry/) [William Wycherley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-wycherley/) > [It's very easy to fool yourself that you're working, you know, when you're really not working very hard. I mean, I'm very lazy. So…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-caro/it-s-very-easy-to-fool-yourself-that-you-re-working-you-know-when-you/) [Robert Caro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-caro/) > [A fool and his money get a lot of publicity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-bernstein/a-fool-and-his-money-get-a-lot-of-publicity/) [Al Bernstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-bernstein/) > [There are different kinds of fire; there is false fire. No one knows this better than we do, but we are not such fools…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-booth/there-are-different-kinds-of-fire-there-is-false-fire-no-one-knows/) [William Booth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-booth/) > [Every man must wear out at least one pair of fools shoes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/earl-derr-biggers/every-man-must-wear-out-at-least-one-pair-of-fools-shoes/) [Earl Derr Biggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/earl-derr-biggers/) > [If at first you don't succeed, try, try again. Then quit. No use being a damn fool about it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wc-fields/if-at-first-you-don-t-succeed-try-try-again-then-quit-no-use-being-a/) [WC Fields](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wc-fields/) > [There is nothing that we can properly call our own but our time, and yet everybody fools us out of it who has a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/there-is-nothing-that-we-can-properly-call-our-own-but-our-time-and/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [I'd be a fool to be in this for the money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benny-hinn/i-d-be-a-fool-to-be-in-this-for-the-money/) [Benny Hinn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benny-hinn/) > [It is a fool of a shepherd who culls his dogs.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jefferson-smith/it-is-a-fool-of-a-shepherd-who-culls-his-dogs/) [Jefferson Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jefferson-smith/) > [Prefer to be defeated in the presence of the wise than to excel among fools.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/prefer-to-be-defeated-in-the-presence-of-the-wise-than-to-excel-among/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A mistake doesnt make you a fool, but denying it surely makes you one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/a-mistake-doesnt-make-you-a-fool-but-denying-it-surely-makes-you-one/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) [Browse all 5,535 Fool quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better remain honest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Norman Douglas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fool-had-better-remain-honest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Fool" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fool-had-better-remain-honest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/87b/norman-douglas-15021_fool_it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fo_2197440.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“It takes a wise man to handle a lie, a fool had better remain honest.” — Norman Douglas", "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": "Norman Douglas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/norman-douglas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "It takes a wise man to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fool-had-better-remain-honest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/norman-douglas/it-takes-a-wise-man-to-handle-a-lie-a-fool-had-better-remain-honest/#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 } } ] } ```