He that doth not as other men do, but endeavoureth that which ought to be done, shall thereby rather incur peril than preservation; for whoso laboureth to be sincerely perfect and good shall necessarily perish, living among men that are generally evil.
About this quote
- What does it mean?
- Trying to be perfectly good in a corrupt world often leads to destruction rather than success.
- In plain terms
- Being too good in a bad world gets you hurt.
- What can you take from it?
- Perfection in a corrupt world can be dangerous.
Where it applies
Putting it to work
Questions to consider
- Is it worth dying for integrity?
- How do we stay good safely?
Another view
It discourages moral courage when it is needed most.
More from Sir Walter Raleigh
All, or the greatest part of men that have aspired to riches or power, have attained thereunto either by force or fraud, and what they have by craft or cruelty…
Permalink to quote #29 Historians desiring to write the actions of men, ought to set down the simple truth, and not say anything for love or hatred; also to choose such an opportunit…
Permalink to quote #31 It is the nature of men, having escaped one extreme, which by force they were constrained long to endure, to run headlong into the other extreme, forgetting th…
Permalink to quote #28
Related quotes
The coppers wanna see me burried... I ain't worried/I got a line on the D.A. cuz I'm f**king his secretary
Tupac ShakurTupac Shakur quote #357 There is a cancer on the presidency.
John DeanJohn Dean quote #1 My guilt is that I am still here...I should have died. That is my guilt.
Franz StanglFranz Stangl quote #1