proverb · Words worth keeping
Do right and fear no man.
Do right and fear no man.
Historical period not yet established
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
The saying links doing right with fearing no person. It encourages integrity even when other people exert pressure.
What the words are saying
Fear no man makes the reassurance absolute. A responsible interpretation values principled conduct without promising protection from harm or judging fear as moral failure. Right itself needs examination; confidence alone does not establish that an action is justified.
Everyday example
Someone considers a principled response while seeking appropriate support rather than assuming good intentions remove every risk.
When to use it
Use it to discuss integrity under pressure with actual risks acknowledged.
What it does not mean
Doing what one believes right guarantees neither safety nor freedom from fear.
Agent-assisted editorial interpretation. This explains the words; it does not by itself verify their author or earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
- Not established
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin. - Historical period
- Historical period not yet established
No sufficiently supported historical placement has been established. Import and download dates are not treated as composition dates. - Recorded source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 514; PDF page 75
A collection's publication date can be later than the words it records.