The underdog often starts the fight, and occasionally the upper dog deserves to win.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
Better be quarrelling than lonesome.
—Irish Proverb
If you are going out for a fight leave your best hat at home.
—Japanese Proverb
Though a quarrel in the streets is a thing to be hated, the energies displayed in it are fine; the commonest man shows a grace in his quarrel.
—John Keats (1795–1821) English Poet
Dogs that always fight always have bleeding ears.
—French Proverb
A liberal is a man who leaves the room when the fight starts.
—Heywood Hale Broun (1918–2001) American Journalist, Commentator, Actor
Bulls get rich, bears get rich, but pigs get slaughtered An Irishman is never at his best except when fighting.
—Irish Proverb
The full value of this life can only be got by fighting; the violent take it by storm. And if we have accepted everything we have missed something—war. This life of ours is a very enjoyable fight, but a very miserable truce.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.
—Friedrich Nietzsche (1844–1900) German Philosopher, Scholar, Writer
Quarrel not at all. No man resolved to make the most of himself can spare time for personal contention. Still less can he afford to take all the consequences, including the vitiating of his temper and loss of self control. Yield larger things to which you can show no more than equal right; and yield lesser ones, though clearly your own. Better give your path to a dog than be bitten by him in contesting for the right. Even killing the dog would not cure the bite.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Contemplative and bookish men must of necessity be more quarrelsome than others, because they contend not about matter of fact, nor can determine their controversies by any certain witnesses, nor judges. But as long as they go towards peace, that is Truth, it is no matter which way.
—John Donne (1572–1631) English Poet, Cleric
No matter how much the cats fight, there always seem to be plenty of kittens.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
In the fight between you and the world, back the world.
—Franz Kafka (1883–1924) Austrian Novelist, Short Story Writer
When elephants fight, it’s the grass that suffers.
—African Proverb
We are twice armed if we fight with faith.
—Plato (428 BCE–347 BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Mathematician, Educator
The most terrible fight is not when there is one opinion against another, the most terrible is when two men say the same thing—and fight about the interpretation, and this interpretation involves a difference of quality.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
Break a vase, and the love that reassembles the fragments is stronger than that love which took its symmetry for granted when it was whole.
—Derek Walcott (1930–2017) West Indian Poet, Dramatist
It’s better to pick a fight with your in-laws than with your neighbors.
—Indian Proverb
When the fight begins within himself, a man’s worth something.
—Robert Browning (1812–89) English Poet
Those who live are those who fight.
—Victor Hugo (1802–85) French Novelist
The foolish race of mankind are swarming below in the night; they shriek and rage and quarrel—and all of them are right.
—Heinrich Heine (1797–1856) German Poet, Writer
One cannot part two fighting bulls.
—African Proverb
The last sound on the worthless earth will be two human beings trying to launch a homemade spaceship and already quarreling about where they are going next.
—William Faulkner (1897–1962) American Novelist
In a fight the rich man tries to save his face, the poor man his Coat.
—Russian Proverb
That is the whole secret of successful fighting. Get your enemy at a disadvantage; and never, on any account, fight him on equal terms.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Fighting for your country glorifies death.
—Russian Proverb
Fight fire with fire.
—Common Proverb
A quarrel between friends, when made up, adds a new tie to friendship, as … the callosity formed round a broken bone makes it stronger than before.
—Francis de Sales (1567–1622) French Catholic Saint
Not the glittering weapon fights the fight, but rather the hero’s heart.
—Common Proverb
Let him that is without stone among you cast the first thing he can lay his hands on.
—Robert Frost (1874–1963) American Poet
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