Character is much easier kept than recovered.

The saying contrasts prevention with repair in the moral sphere: a good reputation and steady integrity are maintained by consistent, often small, choices, while once compromised they can be difficult—or impossible—to restore fully. It implies that public trust and self-respect are fragile assets; a single lapse can outweigh years of upright conduct in others’ memories. The aphorism also carries a pragmatic warning: because character is partly social (how one is known and believed), recovery depends not only on personal reform but on persuading others, which is slower and uncertain. As advice, it urges vigilance, restraint, and foresight in conduct.