Truth. Falsehood. Honesty
A lie has no legs.
A proverb of eastern origin, meaning that a lie has no stability: wrestle with it, and down it goes. The Italians and Spaniards say, “A lie has short legs;”618 and in the same sense “A liar is sooner caught than a cripple.”619 He trips up his own heels.
Liars should have good memories.
“Memory in a liar is no more than needs,” says Fuller. “For, first, lies are hard to be remembered, because many, whereas truth is but one: secondly, because a lie cursorily told takes little footing and settled fatness in the teller’s memory, but prints itself deeper in the hearer’s, who takes the greater notice because of the improbability and deformity thereof; and one will remember the sight of a monster longer than the sight of an handsome body. Hence come sit to pass that when the liar hath forgotten himself his auditors put him in mind of the lie, and take him therein.”
Fair fall truth and daylight.
Speak truth and shame the devil.
Truth and honesty keep the crown o’ the causey.—Scotch.
They march boldly along the middle of the roadway, which was formerly the place of honour for pedestrians in Scottish towns. “Truth seeks no corners” (Latin).620
Truth may be blamed, but shall ne’er be shamed.
“It is mighty, and will prevail” (Latin).621 “It is God’s daughter” (Spanish).622 “Truth and oil always come to the surface” (Spanish).623 “It takes a good many shovelfuls of earth to bury the truth” (German).624
Plain dealing is a jewel, but they that use it die beggars.
“He that speaks truth must have one foot in the stirrup,” say the Turks, who are a people by no means addicted to lying. “People praise truth, but invite lying to be their guest” (Lettish). “My gossips dislike me because I tell them the truth” (Spanish).625
Truth has a good face, but ragged clothes.
He that follows truth too near the heels will have dirt kicked in his face.
Honesty is the best policy.
Is it Charles Lamb who says that a rogue is a fool with a circumbendibus?
An honest man’s word is as good as his bond.
And better than what is called “Connaught security: three in a bond and a book oath.”
Footnotes
618 La mentira tiene cortas las piernas. Le bugie hanno corte le gambe.
619 Si arriva più presto un bugiardo che un zoppo.
620 Veritas non quærit angulos.
621 Magna est veritas et prævalebit.
622 La verdad es hija de Dios.
623 La verdad, como el olio, siempre anda en somo.
624 Zum Begräbniss der Wahrheit gehören viel Schaufeln.
625 Mal me quieren mis comadres, porque les digo las verdades.