Do good to your friends to keep them, to your enemies to win them.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
A powerful friend becomes a powerful enemy.
—African Proverb
A guilty conscience is a lively enemy.
—Indian Proverb
The wise learn many things from their enemies.
—Aristophanes (447–386 BCE) Greek Comic Playwright
You and I were long friends: you are now my enemy, and I am yours.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
There is no little enemy.
—French Proverb
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
Friends come and go, enemies linger.
—Unknown
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
The worst tyrants are those which establish themselves in our own breasts.
—William Ellery Channing (1780–1842) American Unitarian Theologian, Poet
Enemies’ promises were made to be broken.
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
Though your enemy is the size of an ant, look upon him as an elephant.
—Danish Proverb
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A friend is one who has the same enemies as you have.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Do not keep secret from your friend what your enemy already knows.
—Danish Proverb
Your friend lends and your enemy asks for payment.
—Dutch Proverb
I love my enemies for two reasons: They inspire me to recognize my weakness. They also inspire me to perfect my imperfect nature.
—Sri Chinmoy (1931–2007) Indian Yoga Teacher
Bribery is the enemy of justice.
—African Proverb
One enemy is too much, and a hundred friends are not enough.
—German Proverb
The weakness of an enemy forms part of our own strength.
—Common Proverb
Better a bite from a friend than a caress from an enemy.
—Danish Proverb
Lend money to an enemy, and thou will gain him, to a friend and thou will lose him.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
If your enemy is up to his waist in water, give him your hand; if the water reaches his shoulders, stand on his head.
—Spanish Proverb
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
A wise man profits more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
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
I have had a lot of adversaries in my political life, but no enemies that I can remember.
—Gerald Ford (1913–2006) American Head of State
An intelligent enemy is better than a stupid friend.
—African Proverb
If an enemy is annoying you by playing well, consider adopting his strategy.
—Chinese Proverb
The best way to destroy an enemy is to make him a friend.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
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
One good punch on your enemy’s nose, gives more pleasure than hearing well-meaning advice from your elders.
—Tibetan Proverb
Our enemies are our outward consciences.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Enemies are so stimulating.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
Bear patiently with a rival.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
When there is no enemy it is safe to fight.
—German Proverb
No one’s enemy but his own, is generally the enemy of everybody with whom he is in relation.—His leading quality is a reckless imprudence, and a selfish pursuit of selfish enjoyments, independent of all consequences.—He runs rapidly through his means; calls, in a friendly way, on his friends, for bonds, bail, and securities; involves his nearest kin; leaves his wife a beggar, and quarters his orphans on the public; and after enjoying himself to his last guinea, entails a life of dependence upon his progeny, and dies in the ill-understood reputation of harmless folly which is more usurious to society than some positive crimes.
—Anna Brownell Jameson (1794–1860) Irish-born Literary, Art Critic
Instead of loving your enemies, treat your friends a little better.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Scratch a lover and find an enemy.
—German Proverb
He who lives by fighting with an enemy has an interest in the preservation of the enemy’s life.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Pass by your enemy hungry but never naked.
—Egyptian Proverb
If thine enemy offend thee, give his child a drum.
—Unknown
The nearest I can make it out, “Love your Enemies” means, “Hate your Friends”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
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
There are three kinds of enemy: the enemy himself, the friends of your enemy, and the enemies of your friends.
—Persian Proverb
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
If you want enemies, excel others; if you want friends, let others excel you.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Better a slap from your friend than a kiss from your enemy.
—Dutch Proverb
You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist