Complete the text with the words from the box. Then press "Check" to mark your answers.
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"Honesty is the best policy" is an old and often repeated proverb, but is it true? It has a suspiciously worldly flavour, for it that it pays to be honest from a worldly point of view. Now a really honest man will not ask whether honesty pays or . He feels he must be honest, even if honesty brings him loss or suffering, simply because it is right to be honest and wrong be dishonest. Therefore, this proverb is of little use to sincerely honest people; it is really meant only for those unprincipled men who will honest only if honesty pays and will be dishonest if they think dishonesty will pay them better.
Probably, honesty does pay in the long . In business, for example, a man who deals straightforwardly with the public, who sells at fair prices, gives good quality, and can be relied not to cheat, will generally establish a reputation that will be a fine business asset. People will be glad to deal with him, and he may not make a fortune, he will have a sound and satisfactory business.
On the other hand, there is no doubt that success often due to trickery, and great fortunes have been built up upon dishonesty. Too many successful rogues have proved by experience that dishonesty has the best policy for them. Of course, some people suffer a bad end and lose everything they have gained through their lies. However, many that their worldly success is due to ability, lucky opportunities, and business savvy rather than honesty.
And many examples could be given of men have failed because they were honest from a worldly point of view. A martyr who prefers to be burned at the stake rather than what he believes to be false may be a hero, but in the eyes of a worldly man, who thinks only of worldly success, is a sad failure.
But if we look at such cases from the spiritual point of view—if we consider that truth and righteousness are more important than wealth, rank, and prosperity—then, in the highest sense, honesty is, in the end, the best policy. What good is a man he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?