Deeds, not words. Seneca, Epistles 2.20.2

Philosophy teaches action, not diction. What we say is not as important as what we do. The wise man seeks to make his words a clear reflection of what he does, so that he and others can rely upon his character in difficult circumstances. If we have covered our true character in lies, nobody will know who we really are, and we might forget ourselves. Not lying to others is an important step on the way toward avoiding the mistake of lying to ourselves.

Aliud propositum est declamantibus et assensionem coronae captantibus, aliud his qui iuvenum et otiosorum aures disputatione varia aut volubili detinent: facere docet philosophia, non dicere, et hoc exigit, ut ad legem suam quisque vivat, ne orationi vita dissentiat, vel ipsa intra se vita unius sit omnium actionum sine dissensione coloris sit (†). Maximum hoc est et officium sapientiae et indicium, ut verbis opera concordent, ut ipse ubique par sibi idemque sit. Quis hoc praestabit? Pauci, aliqui tamen. Est enim difficile hoc; nec hoc dico, sapientem uno semper iturum gradu, sed una via.

Some pay no heed to the relationship between words and deeds: these are folk who declaim in public, seeking the applause of a crowd, or stealing the ears of the young and the idle with arguments too canny and clever to carry clear meaning. Philosophy teaches us to act, not to speak, and demands this: that each man live by his own law, so that his life may never contradict his speech, but retain in all its actions a single color or complexion that never disagrees with itself. This is the greatest duty owed to wisdom, and the surest proof that we possess her: that our works concur with our words, so that we appear the same everywhere, equal in all circumstances to the standard set by our own integrity. Who shall achieve this? Few, but still some will make it. This journey is difficult, and I am not saying that the wise man will make it in one step, only that he will keep ever to the same road.

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(†) I accept the emendations of Haupt.