Many of us have heard the proverb or adage, “Honor among thieves.” Still, many of us have also heard the adage, “No honor among thieves.” A proverb is a short, common saying or phrase that gives advice or shares a universal truth. Since both of these appear to clearly contradict the other, which one is right, and what is the universal truth about thieves?

Do these proverbs simply mean the opposite of each other? Is there a mistranslation of one of them from some ancient historical text? Are they related, perhaps sharing an origin and then somehow becoming inverted? Or, is there a subtlety here that requires some additional investigation and understanding?

Let’s then examine the meanings of “Honor among thieves.” and “No honor among thieves.”, where these proverbs came from, and what they mean. To that end, my initial research uncovered a few different schools of thought on the matter, including:

• The proverbs, “Honor among thieves.” and “No honor among thieves.” are frequently cited, though the former proverb appears much older than the latter.
• The classic proverb holds, “There is honor among thieves.” — meaning, of course, is the concept of “professional courtesy,” that even the disreputable and unethical do — particularly among themselves — adhere to various sorts of moral codes of conduct among themselves.
• The notion, at least, behind the expression “there is honor among thieves” is ancient, and it is expressed (inexactly) by English writers as far back as Daniel Defoe in 1723. A pamphlet published in 1782 describes “there is honour among thieves” as an “adage,” so the familiar wording must be considerably older than that date.
• There are degrees of honor. It is a common saying, that “there is honor among thieves” — but this is not the sort of honor that honorable men would generally aspire to.
• As to the converse, “no honor among thieves,” the meaning appears to be self-explanatory. They are both well-known idioms that simply mean what they say and complement each other very well. There is honor among thieves conveys the idea that even people of lesser integrity can find trust in each other, if only for a short time, and at the same time mistrust each other, hence there is no honor among thieves.
• The original proverb probably arose out of an awareness of the widespread and rigorously observed code of silence among thieves about incriminating a fellow thief or from vague knowledge of the equitable sharing of spoils that was common among confederates in a theft; and the counter-proverb, from an insistence that any such code usually fell apart in extremis and a sense that thieves really couldn’t trust their fellow thieves not to steal from them if they could.

The idea of the proverb, “Honor among thieves.” dates back at least to Cicero, an orator, and politician in ancient Rome. While “Honor among thieves.” is the sentiment that even criminals have a code of conduct among themselves, some aspects of this code of conduct may be to not steal from each other, or not testify against a fellow criminal. The problem is, what is referred to as honor among thieves isn’t honor, or at least, it isn’t a level of honor worthy of the designation of honor. The act of being a thief is not honorable.

What is Honor or Honorable?

Honor is adherence to what is right or to a conventional standard of conduct. To honor is to fulfill an obligation or keep an agreement.

Honor is a social term describing how people within a society evaluate one another. The figurative meaning, however, is far more common: “to give weight to someone.” To honor someone, then, is to give weight or to grant a person a position of respect and even authority in one’s life. A person grants honor most frequently based on position, status, or wealth, but it can and should also be granted based on character.

“No Honor Among Thieves” in Our Modern Era is

In certain modern-day secret combinations, gangs, and groups, there is arguably a code of conduct that if followed would suggest some level of honor among thieves. In other words, this proverb suggests that criminals observe a moral code of honor. There are degrees of honor among all people — but most levels are not the sort of honor that truly honorable men or women would aspire to.

“No honor among thieves” is the sentiment that thieves are criminals, and are untrustworthy. This proverb is a direct disputation of the original proverb, “Honor among thieves.,” and first appeared in the early 1800s.

There is No Honor Among Thieves or Adulterers

Let’s look at some commonalities between thieves, adultery, adulterers, and the dishonor they share and bring:

• A thief is a person who steals another person’s property, especially by stealth and without using force or violence.
• Adultery is voluntary sexual intercourse between a married person and a person who is not his or her spouse.
• An adulterer is a person who commits adultery.
• An adultery partner is a person who steals another person’s spouse’s honor and virtue, especially by stealth. This is of course done with the complicity of the cheating spouse who voluntarily betrays their spouse, marital vows and covenants, and children.
• Dishonor means a state of shame or disgrace. To dishonor is to fail to observe or respect (an agreement or principle). Dishonoring someone or something means to bring shame or disgrace.

In our world today, we struggle with the concept of honor and commitment which is evidenced by our overreliance on contracts and attorneys. One of the most egregious violations of honor and a moral code of conduct is within the institution of marriage. Extramarital affairs, infidelity, and adultery have been increasing significantly over the past few decades and marriages are crumbling as a result. Marriages were once a revered institution where spouses honored each other, their covenants of fidelity, and their commitment to serve and protect their families. Most are willfully violating their marital contract through infidelity.

Times change as social norms do. Adultery was once a shameful and dishonorable act that violently violated the trust and fidelity of marriage. Today, it is championed in many circles and societies under the guise of self-realization, and self-actualization. Once adulterers were publicly marked and designated with a “scarlet letter” of shame. Now, for many, adultery is publicly celebrated. The reality is, that adultery, like thievery, was and never will be honorable. There is no honor among thieves or adulterers — both leave in their selfish paths hurt, scarred, damaged, and betrayed spouses, children, family, and friends. Most leave a legacy of pain, discord, shame, instability, and divorce. Where then would there be any honor in either thievery or adultery?

Recovering from Infidelity

If you have experienced infidelity-induced trauma caused by the emotional and sexual betrayal of your spouse, there is hope! If you are a child affected by parental infidelity, there is hope! If you are a spouse who has betrayed the trust, love, and fidelity of your marriage, there is hope! We recommend that you seek support through professional counseling and therapy as well as through groups dedicated to supporting you through this traumatic journey to recovery. You are not alone and recovery and healing are possible!

Share Your Story

The CHADIE Foundation shares personal stories of spouses and children impacted by infidelity and affairs. If you have a story you would like to share and have published, please use the contact information below to share your story with The CHADIE Foundation. Our mission is to help educate everyone about the damage infidelity, affairs, and adultery cause families and how to minimize the impact.

About the CHADIE Foundation

The CHADIE Foundation (Children are Harmed by Adultery, Divorce, Infidelity, and related Emotional trauma), helps spouses, partners, and children who adultery, affairs, and infidelity have negatively impacted. To learn more about CHADIE and how you can help, please email us at support@chadie.org or visit us at CHADIE.org.