Better be ill spoken of by one before all than by all before one.

Related:

• Better be ill spoken of by one before all than by all before one.
  Scottish...
• Better bend than break. --
  Scottish...
• An ill agreement is better than a good
  judgement. --...
• A wizard's reputation is his bond, or so the sages say.
  And, as all learned men know, a reputation is difficult...
• Better a mouse in the pot than no meat at all.
  Romanian...
• Better to light one candle than to curse the darkness
  Chinese...
• No one regards what is before his feet; we all gaze at the stars.
  Quintus...
• QOTD: "I've got one last thing to say before I go;
  give me back all of my stuff...