The envious man grows lean at the success of his neighbor.
—Horace (Quintus Horatius Flaccus) (65–8 BCE) Roman Poet
Men of noble birth are noted to be envious toward new men when they rise; for the distance is altered; it is like a deceit of the eye, that when others come on they think themselves go back.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
Envy sets the stronger seal on desert; if he have no enemies, I should esteem his fortune most wretched.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
Envy and wrath shorten the life.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Jealousy, that dragon which slays love under the pretense of keeping it alive.
—Havelock Ellis (1859–1939) British Sexologist, Physician, Social Reformer
Base rivals, who true wit and merit hate, maliciously aspire to gain renown, by standing up, and pulling others down.
—John Dryden (1631–1700) English Poet, Literary Critic, Playwright
Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another’s prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
Envy is more irreconcilable than hatred.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Man will do many things to get himself loved; he will do all things to get himself envied.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
There is no greater glory than love, nor any greater punishment than jealousy.
—Lope de Vega (1562–1635) Spanish Playwright, Poet
Nothing sharpens sight like envy.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
One reason why so many people are unhappy, not knowing why, is that they have burdened their minds with resentments. These evil thoughts pile right on top of happier and generous ones and smother them so that they never get expression. Resentments are a form of hate…. What a dearth of good will and co-operation there are among human beings and nations! What a world this would be if we all worked together, and as a popular diplomat recently expressed it-played together.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
I envy animals for two things – their ignorance of evil to come, and their ignorance of what is said about them.
—Voltaire (1694–1778) French Philosopher, Author
Envy is a kind of praise.
—John Gay (1685–1732) English Poet, Dramatist
Many men profess to hate another, but no man owns envy, as being an enmity or displeasure for no cause but another’s goodness or felicity.
—Jeremy Taylor
None of the affections have been noted to fascinate and bewitch but envy.
—Francis Bacon (1561–1626) English Philosopher
I envy people who drink – at least they know what to blame everything on.
—Oscar Levant (1906–72) American Musician, Composer, Author, Comedian, Actor
If our credit be so well built, so firm that it is not easy to be shaken by calumny or insinuation, envy then commends us, and extols us beyond reason to those upon whom we depend, till they grow jealous, and so blow us up when they cannot throw us down.
—Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–74) English Statesman, Historian
Envy lies between two beings equal in nature though unequal in circumstances.
—Jeremy Collier (1650–1726) Anglican Church Historian, Clergyman
Envy eats nothing but its own heart.
—German Proverb
Love looks through a telescope; envy, through a microscope.
—Josh Billings (Henry Wheeler Shaw) (1818–85) American Humorist, Author, Lecturer
Envy, like the worm, never runs but to the fairest fruit; like a cunning blood hound, it singles out the fattest deer in the flock.—Abraham’s riches were the Philistines’ envy, and Jacob’s blessings had Esau’s hatred.
—Francis Beaumont (1584–1616) English Elizabethan Dramatist
Envy assails the noblest: the winds howl around the highest peaks.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
If envy, like anger, did not burn itself in its own fire, and consume and destroy those persons it possesses before it can destroy those it wishes worst to, it would set the whole world on fire, and leave the most excellent persons the most miserable.
—Edward Hyde, 1st Earl of Clarendon (1609–74) English Statesman, Historian
Some folks rail against other folks, because other folks have what some folks would be glad of.
—Henry Fielding (1707–54) English Novelist, Dramatist
Envy is the antagonist of the fortunate.
—Epictetus (55–135) Ancient Greek Philosopher
Hatred is active, and envy passive dislike; there is but one step from envy to hate.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
No metal can—no, not the hangman’s axe—bear half the keenness of thy sharp envy.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
The idea of caring that someone is making money faster [than you] is one of the deadly sins. Envy is a really stupid sin because it’s the only one you could never possibly have any fun at. There’s a lot of pain and no fun. Why would you want to get on that trolley?
—Charlie Munger (b.1924) American Investor, Philanthropist
It is not greed that drives the world, but envy.
—Warren Buffett (b.1930) American Investor