Actions speak louder than words

This is one of those sayings where the thought behind the words is probably as ancient as language itself. It has variously been attributed to the ancient Greeks, the Romans, Confucius, and the Bible. Other contenders are Saint Francis of Assisi, Montaigne and Benjamin Franklin who all used versions of the same concept. The specific wording in English is thought to have first appeared during the 18th century but no one knows for sure, although Abraham Lincoln did use the exact words in a speech in 1856. So the verdict is, an ancient concept, origin unknown. Its more modern equivalent is walk the talk.