--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Do what good thou canst unknown, and be…" description: "\"Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.\" — William Penn" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png" --- # Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what… ![“Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.” quote by William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png) > “Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.” [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Act with moral good, not for vanity; prioritize authentic feeling over mere appearance. **In simple terms:** Do good for its own sake. Key Takeaway Practice genuine virtue over show. Themes ethics authenticity humility Mood thoughtful serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - leadership - personal development - social interaction Key Concepts moral philosophy spirituality Questions to Reflect On - How can you ensure actions are sincere? - What values guide your true feelings? A Different Perspective Societal pressure may tempt superficial actions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Deeds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) [Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/felt/) [Good Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-thou-1725134/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/love/) [Ostentation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ostentation/) [Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought/) [Ought Felt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ought-felt-3405626/) [Thou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou/) [Thou Canst](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thou-canst-281742/) [Vain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain/) [Vain Ought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vain-ought-3405625/) ## Related quotes > [Do good with what thou hast, or it will do thee no good.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-good-with-what-thou-hast-or-it-will-do-thee-no-good/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“No, thou art come too late, Empedocles! And the world hath the day, and must break thee, Not thou the world. With men thou…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-arnold/no-thou-art-come-too-late-empedocles-and-the-world-hath-the-day-and/) [Matthew Arnold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-arnold/) > [False world, thou ly'st: thou canst not lend The least delight: Thy favours cannot gain a friend, They are so slight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/false-world-thou-ly-st-thou-canst-not-lend-the-least-delight-thy/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) > [“Thou canst but try,' said John. 'Anyone can \*not\* do it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marguerite-de-angeli/thou-canst-but-try-said-john-anyone-can-not-do-it/) [Marguerite de Angeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marguerite-de-angeli/) > [If thou canst not make thyself such an one as thou wouldst, how canst thou expect to have another in all things to thy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-a-kempis/if-thou-canst-not-make-thyself-such-an-one-as-thou-wouldst-how-canst/) [Thomas a Kempis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-a-kempis/) > [Such are thou and I: but what I am thou canst not be; what thou art any one of the multitude may be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martial/such-are-thou-and-i-but-what-i-am-thou-canst-not-be-what-thou-art-any/) [Martial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martial/) > [That, chang'd thro' all and yet in all the same, Great in the Earth as in th' Ætherial frame, Warms in the Sun, refreshes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/that-chang-d-thro-all-and-yet-in-all-the-same-great-in-the-earth-as/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Thou canst not speak of thou dost not feel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-canst-not-speak-of-thou-dost-not-feel/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [It is a cruel folly to offer up to ostentation so many lives of creatures, as to make up the state of our treats.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-a-cruel-folly-to-offer-up-to-ostentation-so-many-lives-of/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [But, oh, Thou bounteous Giver of all good, Thou art, of all Thy gifts, Thyself thy crown!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-cowper/but-oh-thou-bounteous-giver-of-all-good-thou-art-of-all-thy-gifts/) [William Cowper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-cowper/) > [Be happy, noble heart, be blessed for all the good thou hast done and wilt do hereafter, and let my gratitude remain in obscurity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandre-dumas/be-happy-noble-heart-be-blessed-for-all-the-good-thou-hast-done-and/) [Alexandre Dumas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandre-dumas/) > [Great God, have pity on the wicked, for thou didst everything for the good, when thou madest them good!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/great-god-have-pity-on-the-wicked-for-thou-didst-everything-for-the/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) > [Be Good, Do Good.Do thou always without attachment perform action which should be done, for by performing action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sivananda/be-good-do-good-do-thou-always-without-attachment-perform-action/) [Sivananda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sivananda/) > [God made thee good as thou art beautiful.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-lord-tennyson/god-made-thee-good-as-thou-art-beautiful/) [Alfred Lord Tennyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-lord-tennyson/) > [I smil'd to my self at the sight of this money, O drug! said I aloud, what art thou good for? Thou art not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/i-smil-d-to-my-self-at-the-sight-of-this-money-o-drug-said-i-aloud/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) ## More by William Penn > [Love grows. Lust wastes by Enjoyment, and the Reason is, that one springs from an Union of Souls, and the other from an Union…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/love-grows-lust-wastes-by-enjoyment-and-the-reason-is-that-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Once you've accumulated sufficient knowledge to get by, you're too old to remember it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/once-you-ve-accumulated-sufficient-knowledge-to-get-by-you-re-too-old/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldn't conquer thy weakness thou must not gratify it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldn-t-conquer-thy-weakness-thou-must-not-gratify-it/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Religion is the fear of God, and its demonstration good works; and faith is the root of both: For without faith we cannot please…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/religion-is-the-fear-of-god-and-its-demonstration-good-works-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [All excess is ill; but drunkenness is of the worst sort. It spoils health, dismounts the mind, and unmans men. It reveals secrets, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/all-excess-is-ill-but-drunkenness-is-of-the-worst-sort-it-spoils/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [“Let us then try what love can do to mend a broken world.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/let-us-then-try-what-love-can-do-to-mend-a-broken-world/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > ['Tis no sin to be tempted, but to be overcome.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/tis-no-sin-to-be-tempted-but-to-be-overcome/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Perfect love casteth out fear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/perfect-love-casteth-out-fear/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [By liberty of conscience, we understand not only a mere liberty of the mind, in believing or disbelieving this or that principle or doctrine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/by-liberty-of-conscience-we-understand-not-only-a-mere-liberty-of-the/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Content not thyself that thou art virtuous in the general; for one link being wanting, the chain is defective.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/content-not-thyself-that-thou-art-virtuous-in-the-general-for-one/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [We are apt to be very pert at censuring others, where we will not endure advice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/we-are-apt-to-be-very-pert-at-censuring-others-where-we-will-not/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [It is admirable to consider how many millions of people come into, and go out of the world, ignorant of themselves and of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/it-is-admirable-to-consider-how-many-millions-of-people-come-into-and/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [If thou wouldst rule well, thou must rule for God, and to do that, thou must be ruled by him... Those who will not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/if-thou-wouldst-rule-well-thou-must-rule-for-god-and-to-do-that-thou/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [In the rush and noise of life, as you have intervals, step home within yourselves and be still. Wait upon God, and feel His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/in-the-rush-and-noise-of-life-as-you-have-intervals-step-home-within/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) > [Be sure that religion cannot be right that a man is the worse for having.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/be-sure-that-religion-cannot-be-right-that-a-man-is-the-worse-for/) [William Penn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) [Explore all 291 William Penn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/) ## More Deeds quotes > [If ever I did a man any goodof course it was something exceptional and insignificant compared with the good or evil which I am…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/if-ever-i-did-a-man-any-goodof-course-it-was-something-exceptional/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [When Allah puts barakah (His blessings) in something, it will come beyond your expectations- never underestimate the power of one good deed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nouman-ali-khan/when-allah-puts-barakah-his-blessings-in-something-it-will-come/) [Nouman Ali Khan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nouman-ali-khan/) > [Time often serves to justify a deed which seems at first unjustifiable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-p-ryan/time-often-serves-to-justify-a-deed-which-seems-at-first-unjustifiable/) [Donald P. Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-p-ryan/) > [When deeds speak, words are nothing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pierre-joseph-proudhon/when-deeds-speak-words-are-nothing/) [Pierre-Joseph Proudhon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pierre-joseph-proudhon/) > [Somehow, what's in our hearts, good or bad is eventually translated into words and deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-stanley/somehow-what-s-in-our-hearts-good-or-bad-is-eventually-translated/) [Andy Stanley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-stanley/) > [Honest people don't hide their deeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-bronte/honest-people-don-t-hide-their-deeds/) [Emily Bronte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-bronte/) > [Mechanical instruments, potentially a vehicle of rational human purposes, are scarcely a blessing when they enable the gossip of the village idiot and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/mechanical-instruments-potentially-a-vehicle-of-rational-human/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [Tis e'er the wont of simple folk to prize the deed and o'erlook the motive, and of learned folk to discount the deed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barth/tis-e-er-the-wont-of-simple-folk-to-prize-the-deed-and-o-erlook-the/) [John Barth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barth/) > [How oft the sight of means to do ill deeds makes ill deeds done!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/how-oft-the-sight-of-means-to-do-ill-deeds-makes-ill-deeds-done/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [A nation of character is filled with citizens who gradually build lives based on the living awareness that their deeds are judged by eyes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/a-nation-of-character-is-filled-with-citizens-who-gradually-build/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Time, which wears down and diminishes all things, augments and increases good deeds, because a good turn liberally offered to a reasonable man grows…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-rabelais/time-which-wears-down-and-diminishes-all-things-augments-and/) [Francois Rabelais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-rabelais/) > [Alas, you don't need monsters for monstrous deeds to be accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zygmunt-bauman/alas-you-don-t-need-monsters-for-monstrous-deeds-to-be-accomplished/) [Zygmunt Bauman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zygmunt-bauman/) > [I rejoice that the reign of Christ is such, while it thrills the soul with emotions, and opens before the highest intellect the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-simpson/i-rejoice-that-the-reign-of-christ-is-such-while-it-thrills-the-soul/) [Matthew Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-simpson/) > [The final estimate of men shows that history cares not an iota for the rank or title a man has borne, or the office…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/the-final-estimate-of-men-shows-that-history-cares-not-an-iota-for/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [The World's a Printing-House, our words, our thoughts, Our deeds, are characters of several sizes. Each soul is a Compos'tor, of whose faults The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-quarles/the-world-s-a-printing-house-our-words-our-thoughts-our-deeds-are/) [Francis Quarles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-quarles/) [Browse all 2,029 Deeds quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/deeds/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "William Penn" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-not-vain-of-what-ought-rather/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Deeds" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-not-vain-of-what-ought-rather/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a48/william-penn-1104_deeds_do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-n_373818.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Do what good thou canst unknown, and be not vain of what ought rather to be felt than seen.” — William Penn", "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": "William Penn", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-penn/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Do what good thou canst unknown,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-not-vain-of-what-ought-rather/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-penn/do-what-good-thou-canst-unknown-and-be-not-vain-of-what-ought-rather/#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 } } ] } ```