Suspicion is the cancer of friendship.
—Petrarch (1304–74) Italian Scholar, Poet, Humanist
There are three friendships which are advantageous: friendship with the upright, with the sincere, and with the man of much observation.—Friendship with the man of specious airs, with the insinuatingly soft, and with the glib-tongued, these are injurious.
—Confucius (551–479 BCE) Chinese Philosopher
Laughter is not at all a bad beginning for a friendship, and it is far the best ending for one.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Prosperity is not just scale; adversity is the only balance to weigh friends.
—Plutarch (c.46–c.120 CE) Greek Biographer, Philosopher
He does good to himself who does good to his friend.
—Desiderius Erasmus (c.1469–1536) Dutch Humanist, Scholar
We are all travelers in the wilderness of the world, and the best that we can find in our travels is an honest friend.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
Friends are as companions on a journey, who ought to aid each other to persevere in the road to a happier life.
—Pythagoras (570–495 BCE) Greek Philosopher
Fortify yourself with a flock of friends! You can select them at random, write to one, dine with one, visit one, or take your problems to one. There is always at least one who will understand, inspire, and give you the lift you may need at the time.
—George Matthew Adams (1878–1962) American Columnist, Journalist
Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Be not the fourth friend of him who had three before and lost them.
—Johann Kaspar Lavater (1741–1801) Swiss Theologian, Poet
What a wonderful thing it is to have a good friend. He identities your innermost desires, and spares you the embarrassment of disclosing them to him yourself.
—Jean de La Fontaine (1621–95) French Poet, Short Story Writer
The loneliest woman in the world is a woman without a close woman friend.
—George Santayana (1863–1952) Spanish-American Poet, Philosopher
To know when to go away and when to come closer is the key to any lasting relationship.
—Domenico Cieri (b.1954) Mexican Author, Aphorist
We need new friends. Some of us are cannibals who have eaten their old friends up; others must have ever-renewed audiences before whom to re-enact an ideal version of their lives.
—Logan Pearsall Smith (1865–1946) American-British Essayist, Bibliophile
No one can lay himself under obligation to do a wrong thing. Pericles, when one of his friends asked his services in an unjust cause, excused himself, saying, “lama friend only as far as the altar.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
Wear a smile and have friends; wear a scowl and have wrinkles. What do we live for if not to make the world less difficult for each other?
—George Eliot (Mary Anne Evans) (1819–80) English Novelist
There is a scarcity of friendship, but not of friends.
—Thomas Fuller (1608–61) English Cleric, Historian
I cannot concentrate all my friendship on any single one of my friends because no one is complete enough in himself.
—Anais Nin (1903–77) French-American Essayist
Prosperity makes friends, adversity tries them.
—Publilius Syrus (fl.85–43 BCE) Syrian-born Roman Latin Writer
The best friend is the man who in wishing me well wishes it for my sake.
—Aristotle (384BCE–322BCE) Ancient Greek Philosopher, Scholar
Friendship that insists upon agreement on all matters is notworth the name. Friendship to be real must ever sustain the weight of honest differences, however sharp they be.
—Mohandas K. Gandhi (1869–1948) Indian Hindu Political leader
Friendship is love with intelligence.
—German Proverb
We take care of our health, we lay up money, we make our roof tight and our clothing sufficient, but who provides wisely that he shall not be wanting in the best property of all—friends?
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–82) American Philosopher
Don’t sacrifice your life to work and ideals. The most important things in life are human relations. I found that out too late.
—Katharine Susannah Prichard (1883–1969) Australian Writer
A brother may not be a friend, but a friend will always be a brother.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Accident counts for much in companionship, in marriage.
—Henry Adams (1838–1918) American Historian, Man of Letters
Friendship is the only cement that will ever hold the world together.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
The best things in life are never rationed. Friendship, loyalty, love, do not require coupons.
—Captain George T. Hewitt
True friends … face in the same direction, toward common projects, interests, goals.
—C. S. Lewis (1898-1963) Irish-born British Academic, Author, Literary Scholar
Friendship is love with understanding.
—Unknown
Adversity not only draws people together, but brings forth that beautiful inward friendship.
—Soren Kierkegaard (1813–55) Danish Philosopher, Theologian
I like a friend the better for having faults that one can talk about.
—William Hazlitt (1778–1830) English Essayist
There is a law that man should love his neighbor as himself. In a few hundred years it should be as natural to mankind as breathing or the upright gait; but if he does not learn it he must perish.
—Alfred Adler (1870–1937) Austrian Psychiatrist
As there are some flowers which you should smell but slightly to extract all that is pleasant in them … so there are some men with whom a slight acquaintance is quite sufficient to draw out all that is agreeable; a more intimate one would be unsafe and unsatisfactory.
—Walter Savage Landor (1775–1864) English Writer, Poet
The friendships of the world are oft confederacies in vice, or leagues of pleasures.
—Joseph Addison (1672–1719) English Essayist, Poet, Playwright, Politician
Love is blind, but friendship closes its eyes.
—Unknown
Friendship is a sheltering tree.
—Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772–1834) English Poet, Literary Critic, Philosopher
A faithful friend is a strong defense: and he that hath found such an one hath found a treasure
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Have but few friends, though many acquaintances.
—Unknown
None is so rich as to throw away a friend.
—Turkish Proverb
It pays to know who your friends are but it also pays to know you ain’t got any friends.
—Bob Dylan (b.1941) American Singer-songwriter
We are keenly aware of the faults of our friends, but if they like us enough it doesn’t matter.
—Mignon McLaughlin (1913–83) American Journalist, Author
It is easier to forgive an enemy than a friend.
—Dorothee Luzy Dotinville (1747–1830) French Dancer, Actress
Flatterers look like friends, as wolves like dogs.
—George Chapman (c.1560–1634) English Poet, Playwright
If you always live with those who are lame, you will yourself learn to limp.
—Latin Proverb
Sweet is the scene where genial friendship plays the pleasing game of interchanging praise.
—Oliver Wendell Holmes, Sr. (1809–94) American Physician, Essayist
If we were all given by magic the power to read each other’s thoughts, I suppose the first effect would be to dissolve all friendships.
—Bertrand A. Russell (1872–1970) British Philosopher, Mathematician, Social Critic
John Adams and Thomas Jefferson were political enemies, but they became fast friends. And when they passed away on the same day, the last words of one of them was, The country is safe. Jefferson still lives. And the last words of the other was, John Adams will see that things go forward.
—Harry S. Truman (1884–1972) American Head of State
I value the friend who for me finds time on his calendar, but I cherish the friend who for me does not consult his calendar.
—Robert Brault
Every deed and every relationship is surrounded by an atmosphere of silence. Friendship needs no words—it is solitude delivered from the anguish of loneliness.
—Dag Hammarskjold (1905–61) Swedish Statesman, UN Diplomat