One who is ashamed before himself is not like one who is ashamed before others
There is a difference between moral behavior that comes from a person's inner self and that which arises from fear of others. A person who is ashamed before himself for his actions has a higher moral level than someone who is only afraid that others will know of his deeds.
("One who is ashamed before himself is not like one who is ashamed before others" – Sanhedrin 40a)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ לְמִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מְאַחֲרִים
Definition (Hebrew)
יֵשׁ הֶבְדֵּל בֵּין הִתְנַהֲגוּת מוּסָרִית הַנּוֹבַעַת מִפְּנִימִיּוּתוֹ שֶׁל הָאָדָם לְבֵין זוֹ הַנּוֹבַעַת מֵהַחֲשָׁשׁ מֵהָאֲחֵרִים. אָדָם הַמִּתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ עַל מַעֲשִׂים שֶׁהוּא עָשָׂה הוּא בַּעַל רָמָה מוּסָרִית גְּבוֹהָה יוֹתֵר מִמִּי שֶׁרַק חוֹשֵׁשׁ מֵהָאֲחֵרִים.
("אֵינוֹ דּוֹמֶה מִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵעַצְמוֹ לְמִתְבַּיֵּשׁ מֵאֲחֵרִים"- סַנְהֶדְרִין מב ע"א)