Nur die Lumpe sind bescheiden, Brave freuen sich der Tat. — Johann Wolfgang von Goethe | Printable Wall Art

“Nur die Lumpe sind bescheiden, Brave freuen sich der Tat.”
“Only scoundrels are modest; the brave take joy in the deed.”

Words by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749-1832) — German poet, novelist, and statesman.

About this quote

Goethe suggests that false modesty often hides poor intentions or a lack of real achievement. Courageous people, by contrast, find genuine satisfaction in doing good work and taking pride in their accomplishments. The line urges us to embrace honest pride in our actions rather than using excessive humility to disguise mediocrity or cowardice.

This couplet comes from Goethe's Zahme Xenien, a collection of short, witty epigrammatic poems written in his later life. Published in the early nineteenth century, these verses often offered sharp observations on human nature and morality.

People often hang this in a home office or study to inspire confidence, pride, and decisive action.

What you get

An instant digital download. Choose your design and size at checkout — 19 typographic designs and 8 print sizes are available for this quote.

• Print-ready PDF with fully embedded vector type — sharp at any scale
• Exact trim size, no cropping required
• Print at home, at a local print shop, or upload to an online printer
• Instant download — no physical item is shipped

Sizes available

5" x 7" · 8" x 10" · 11" x 14" · 12" x 16" · 16" x 20" · 18" x 24" · 24" x 36" · A4 (21 x 29.7 cm)

Designs available

Atelier Serif · Quiet Garamond · Studio Left · Gallery Rule · Midnight Serif · Editorial Left Serif · Modern Sans Calm · Letterpress Caps · Poster Condensed · Script Whisper · Manuscript Italic · Asymmetric Left · Minimal Unsigned · Charcoal Sans · Gallery Frame · Soft Serif Right · Statement Serif · Night Script · Tracked Caps Unsigned

Digital product. Colours may vary slightly between screens and printers. Frames and props are not included.