--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A good conscience fears no witness, but a…" description: "\"A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty conscience is solicitous even in solitude. If we do nothing but what is honest, let all the world know..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/seneca-the-younger-219_conscience_a-good-conscience-fears-no-witness-but-a_2223376.jpg" --- # A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty… ![“A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty conscience is solicitous even in solitude. If we do nothing but what is honest, let all the world know it. But if otherwise, what does it signify to have nobody else know it, so long as I know it myself? Miserable is he who slights that witness.” quote by Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/seneca-the-younger-219_conscience_a-good-conscience-fears-no-witness-but-a_2223376.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/seneca-the-younger-219_conscience_a-good-conscience-fears-no-witness-but-a_2223376.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/cdc/seneca-the-younger-219_conscience_a-good-conscience-fears-no-witness-but-a_2223376.jpg) > “A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty conscience is solicitous even in solitude. If we do nothing but what is honest, let all the world know it. But if otherwise, what does it signify to have nobody else know it, so long as I know it myself? Miserable is he who slights that witness.” [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A clear conscience needs no external proof, while guilt haunts even in solitude; honesty should be public. **In simple terms:** Honest actions need no witness; guilt is solitary. Key Takeaway Act honestly and share your integrity openly. Themes conscience honesty guilt integrity public virtue Mood thoughtful serious inspirational Type philosophical ethical advice When to use this quote - public speaking - leadership - personal decision making - conflict resolution Key Concepts philosophy ethics Stoicism Questions to Reflect On - What actions can you take to align inner and outer honesty? - How does secrecy affect your moral compass? A Different Perspective Public acknowledgment may not change inner guilt. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) [Conscience Fears](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-fears-2974503/) [Conscience Solicitous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience-solicitous-4971104/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [Ethics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ethics/) [Good Conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-conscience/) [Guilt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilt/) [Guilty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty/) [Guilty conscience](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/guilty-conscience/) [Honest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honest/) [Honesty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/honesty/) [Ifs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ifs/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Miserable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/miserable/) [Solitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/solitude/) [Witness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/witness/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [A clear and innocent conscience fears nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-i/a-clear-and-innocent-conscience-fears-nothing/) [Elizabeth I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-i/) > [Guilt is also a way for us to express to others that we are a person of good conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hodgkinson/guilt-is-also-a-way-for-us-to-express-to-others-that-we-are-a-person-2/) [Tom Hodgkinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hodgkinson/) > [The first petition that we are to make to Almighty God is for a good conscience, the next for health of mind, and then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-first-petition-that-we-are-to-make-to-almighty-god-is-for-a-good/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The origin of all mankind was the same; it is only a clear and good conscience that makes a man noble, for that is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-origin-of-all-mankind-was-the-same-it-is-only-a-clear-and-good/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [“Never judge someone's character based on the words of another. Instead, study the motives behind the words of the person casting the bad judgment.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/never-judge-someone-s-character-based-on-the-words-of-another-instead/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [A guilty conscience need no accusser](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russyb/a-guilty-conscience-need-no-accusser/) [Russyb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russyb/) > [“Guilt cannot change you; it can only hint that there’s something worth your effort to change.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richelle-e-goodrich/guilt-cannot-change-you-it-can-only-hint-that-there-s-something-worth/) [Richelle E. Goodrich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richelle-e-goodrich/) > [So what if I'm ninety-three? So what if I'm ancient and cranky and my body's a wreck? If they're willing to accept me and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gruen/so-what-if-i-m-ninety-three-so-what-if-i-m-ancient-and-cranky-and-my/) [Sara Gruen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gruen/) > [For the longest time, marriage has had a guilty conscience about itself. Should we believe it?--Yes, we should believe it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/for-the-longest-time-marriage-has-had-a-guilty-conscience-about/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [How tedious is a guilty conscience!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-webster/how-tedious-is-a-guilty-conscience/) [John Webster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-webster/) > [If, while I hear the wild shriek of the slave mother robbed of her little ones, I do not open my mouth, am I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-stone/if-while-i-hear-the-wild-shriek-of-the-slave-mother-robbed-of-her/) [Lucy Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-stone/) > [“A guilty conscience is a great blessing, but only if it drives us to come home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-stott/a-guilty-conscience-is-a-great-blessing-but-only-if-it-drives-us-to/) [John Stott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-stott/) > [Few things are as bad as a guilty conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buchi-emecheta/few-things-are-as-bad-as-a-guilty-conscience/) [Buchi Emecheta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buchi-emecheta/) > [And when children begin to use their reason, fathers and mothers should take great pains to fill their hearts with the fear of God.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saint-francis-de-sales/and-when-children-begin-to-use-their-reason-fathers-and-mothers/) [Saint Francis de Sales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saint-francis-de-sales/) > [“The book argues that even though many cases have been held up as classic examples of modern American “witch hunts,” none of them fits…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-cheit/the-book-argues-that-even-though-many-cases-have-been-held-up-as/) [Ross Cheit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-cheit/) ## More by Seneca the Younger > [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/) > [It is for the superfluous we sweat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men trust rather to their eyes than to their ears; the effect of precepts is therefore slow and tedious, whilst that of examples is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-trust-rather-to-their-eyes-than-to-their-ears-the-effect-of/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [A great step towards independence is a good-humored stomach, one that is willing to endure rough treatment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/a-great-step-towards-independence-is-a-good-humored-stomach-one-that/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Men can be divided into 2 groups: one that goes ahead and achieves something, and one that comes after and criticizes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/men-can-be-divided-into-2-groups-one-that-goes-ahead-and-achieves/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Leisure without study is death, and the grave of a living man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/leisure-without-study-is-death-and-the-grave-of-a-living-man/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Such as the chain of causes we call Fate, such is the chain of wishes: one links on to another; the whole man is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/such-as-the-chain-of-causes-we-call-fate-such-is-the-chain-of-wishes/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [To rule yourself is the ultimate power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/to-rule-yourself-is-the-ultimate-power/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [The road by precepts is tedious, by example, short and efficacious.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/the-road-by-precepts-is-tedious-by-example-short-and-efficacious/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Misfortune is the test of a person's merit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/misfortune-is-the-test-of-a-person-s-merit/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [He who does not want to die should not want to live. For life is tendered to us with the proviso of death. Life…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/he-who-does-not-want-to-die-should-not-want-to-live-for-life-is/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Let us not seek our disease out of ourselves; 'tis in us, and planted in our bowels; and the mere fact that we do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/let-us-not-seek-our-disease-out-of-ourselves-tis-in-us-and-planted-in/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [After death there is nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/after-death-there-is-nothing/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Adversity finds at last the man whom she has often passed by.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/adversity-finds-at-last-the-man-whom-she-has-often-passed-by/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) > [Hesitation is the best cure for anger. The first blows of anger are heavy, but if it waits, it will think again.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca-the-younger/hesitation-is-the-best-cure-for-anger-the-first-blows-of-anger-are/) [Seneca the Younger](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) [Explore all 872 Seneca the Younger quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca-the-younger/) ## More Conscience quotes > [Self-respect and a clear conscience are powerful components of integrity and are the basis for enriching your relationships with others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/denis-waitley/self-respect-and-a-clear-conscience-are-powerful-components-of/) [Denis Waitley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/denis-waitley/) > [“Knowledge without conscience is but the ruin of the soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rabelaise/knowledge-without-conscience-is-but-the-ruin-of-the-soul/) [Rabelaise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rabelaise/) > [Writing adds up to the conscience of our times.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-firrell/writing-adds-up-to-the-conscience-of-our-times/) [Martin Firrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-firrell/) > [My conscience is really active. So I feel bad about spending excess amount of money on things.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/syd/my-conscience-is-really-active-so-i-feel-bad-about-spending-excess/) [Syd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/syd/) > [Let us be thankful for health and competence, and, above all, for a quiet conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/izaak-walton/let-us-be-thankful-for-health-and-competence-and-above-all-for-a/) [Izaak Walton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/izaak-walton/) > [Making money doesn't oblige people to forfeit their honor or their conscience.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-de-rothschild/making-money-doesn-t-oblige-people-to-forfeit-their-honor-or-their/) [Guy de Rothschild](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-de-rothschild/) > [“If we cannot be happy and powerful and prey on others, we invent conscience and prey on ourselves.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elbert-hubbard/if-we-cannot-be-happy-and-powerful-and-prey-on-others-we-invent/) [Elbert Hubbard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elbert-hubbard/) > [The God in whose hands are all our days and ways, did cast into my hand one day a book of Martin Luthers; it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-bunyan/the-god-in-whose-hands-are-all-our-days-and-ways-did-cast-into-my/) [John Bunyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-bunyan/) > [My morals are important to me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hunter-parrish/my-morals-are-important-to-me/) [Hunter Parrish](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hunter-parrish/) > [Being tolerant does not mean that I share another ones belief. But it does mean that I acknowledge another ones right to believe, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/viktor-frankl/being-tolerant-does-not-mean-that-i-share-another-ones-belief-but-it/) [Viktor Frankl](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/viktor-frankl/) > [Never can true courage dwell with them, Who, playing tricks with conscience, dare not look At their own vices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-taylor-coleridge/never-can-true-courage-dwell-with-them-who-playing-tricks-with/) [Samuel Taylor Coleridge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-taylor-coleridge/) > [In presenting a mathematical argument the great thing is to give the educated reader the chance to catch on at once to the momentary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-edensor-littlewood/in-presenting-a-mathematical-argument-the-great-thing-is-to-give-the/) [John Edensor Littlewood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-edensor-littlewood/) > [I've worked with people who are much further to the left than I am and much further to the right than I am. At…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/i-ve-worked-with-people-who-are-much-further-to-the-left-than-i-am/) [Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/) > [If all the world hated you and believed you wicked, while your own conscience approved of you and absolved you from guilt, you would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charlotte-bronte/if-all-the-world-hated-you-and-believed-you-wicked-while-your-own/) [Charlotte Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charlotte-bronte/) > [ \[D\]on't grow old. With age comes caution, which is another name for cowardice… Whatever else you do in life, don't cultivate a conscience. Without… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hesketh-pearson/d-on-t-grow-old-with-age-comes-caution-which-is-another-name-for/) [Hesketh Pearson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hesketh-pearson/) [Browse all 3,490 Conscience quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conscience/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "A good conscience fears no witness, but a guilty conscience is solicitous even in solitude. If we do nothing but what is honest, let all the world know it. But if otherwise, what does it signify to have nobody else know it, so long as I know it myself? 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