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I have seen this sentence below in a text where the speaker is talking about respecting the elderly. I can't say I understand this sentence.

Ein guter Ruf verpflichtet

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    And then there’s ist der Ruf erst ruiniert, lebt’s sich gänzlich ungeniert ;) – Jan Sep 14 '16 at 20:40
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It means that you have a good reputation, and you have to act accordingly to preserve it. So, having a good reputation obliges you to be well-behaved, otherwise you'd lose it.

Similarly, there is a saying "Adel verpflichtet", which expresses the same idea with regards to the aristocracy.

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    "Adel verpflichtet" means "noblesse oblige" in English. Err, French. Or both? – Robert Sep 14 '16 at 15:02
  • @Robert Indeed! / In der Tat. – Oliver Mason Sep 14 '16 at 15:05

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