καλῶς δρῶν ἐξαμαρτεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ νικᾶν κακῶς → I would prefer to fail with honor than to win by evil | I prefer to fail by acting rightly rather than win by acting wrongly | Better fail by doing right, than win by doing wrong (Sophocles, Philoctetes 95)

[spiros]

καλῶς δρῶν ἐξαμαρτεῖν μᾶλλον ἢ νικᾶν κακῶς → I would prefer to fail with honor than to win by evil

Sophocles, Philoctetes, 95

[wandle]

A close translation: I prefer to fail by acting rightly rather than win by acting wrongly.
An iambic version: Better fail by doing right, than win by doing wrong

[spiros]

Cool, thanks :)