Absence is the enemy of love.
—Italian Proverb
It takes your enemy and your friend, working together, to hurt you to the heart; the one to slander you and the other to get the news to you.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Choose a friend. He will help you. Alas, he deserts you. Choose an enemy. He will fight against you. Lo, he corrects and perfects you.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
One enemy can harm you more than a hundred friends can do you good.
—German Proverb
You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
If an enemy is annoying you by playing well, consider adopting his strategy.
—Chinese Proverb
The enemies of the future are always the very nicest people.
—Christopher Morley (1890–1957) American Novelist, Essayist
In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.
—Martin Luther King, Jr. (1929–68) American Civil Rights Leader, Clergyman
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Do not keep secret from your friend what your enemy already knows.
—Danish Proverb
Your friend will swallow your mistakes; your enemy will present them on a plate.
—Arabic Proverb
You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy. Let a man be one thing or the other, and we then know how to meet him.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
A weapon is an enemy even to its owner.
—Turkish Proverb
When you go to dig a grave for your enemy, dig two.
—Chinese Proverb
One reason we should love our enemies is that we made them ourselves. Another reason is that they keep us on our toes, a third reason is that we should make them our friends.
—Indian Proverb
If thine enemy offend thee, give his child a drum.
—Unknown
Take no thought of who is right or wrong or who is better than. Be not for or against.
—Bruce Lee (1940–73) American Martial Artist, Actor, Philosopher
I have never made but one prayer to God, a very short one: “O Lord, make my enemies ridiculous”. And God granted it.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
It is much safer to reconcile an enemy than to conquer him; victory may deprive him of his poison, but reconciliation of his will.
—Owen Feltham (1602–1668) English Essayist
A guilty conscience is a lively enemy.
—Indian Proverb
It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
—Buddhist Teaching
A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Was it a friend or foe that spread these lies? Nay, who but infants question in such wise, ’twas one of my most intimate enemies.
—Dante Gabriel Rossetti (1828–82) English Poet, Painter, Translator
There once was a bald man who sat down after work on a hot summer’s day. A fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time. The man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but – whack – his palm come on his own head instead; again the fly tormented him, but this time the man was wiser and said: “you will only injure yourself if you take notice of dispicable enemies.”
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
I no doubt deserved my enemies, but I don’t believe I deserved my friends.
—Walt Whitman (1819–92) American Poet, Essayist, Journalist, American, Poet, Essayist, Journalist
Build a golden bridge for the fleeing enemy.
—French Proverb
I would rather have a dog as a friend than an enemy.
—German Proverb
We often give our enemies the means to our own destruction.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
O wise man, wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
It is difficult to say who do you the most mischief, enemies with the worst intentions, or friends with the best.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Bear patiently with a rival.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Instead of loving your enemies, treat your friends a little better.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
No man should ever display his bravery unless he is prepared for battle, nor bear the marks of defiance, until he has experienced the abilities of his enemy.
—The Hitopadesha Indian Collection of Fables
When there is no enemy it is safe to fight.
—German Proverb
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Friends come and go, enemies linger.
—Unknown
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Treating your adversary with respect is giving him an advantage to which he is not entitled.
—Samuel Johnson (1709–84) British Essayist
A small debt makes a man your debtor, a large one makes him your enemy.
—Seneca the Elder (Marcus Annaeus Seneca) (c.55 BCE–c.40 CE) Roman Rhetorician
Men of sense often learn from their enemies.—It is from their foes, not their friends, that cities learn the lesson of building high walls and ships of war; and this lesson saves their children, their homes, and their properties.
—Aristophanes (447–386 BCE) Greek Comic Playwright
A trade not properly learned is an enemy.
—Irish Proverb
If there be no enemy there’s no fight. If no fight, no victory and if no victory there is no crown.
—Thomas Carlyle (1795–1881) Scottish Historian, Essayist
Better a slap from your friend than a kiss from your enemy.
—Dutch Proverb
The real enemy can always be met and conquered, or won over. Real antagonism is based on love, a love which has not recognized itself.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
It is not necessary to have enemies if you go out of your way to make friends hate you.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
Speak well of your enemies… you made them.
—Indian Proverb
I don’t have a warm personal enemy left. They’ve all died off. I miss them terribly because they helped define me.
—Clare Boothe Luce (1903–87) American Playwright, Diplomat, Journalist, Diplomat, Elected Rep
Your friend lends and your enemy asks for payment.
—Dutch Proverb
An enemy will agree, but a friend will argue.
—Russian Proverb