Jealousy feeds upon suspicion, and it turns into fury or it ends as soon as we pass from suspicion to certainty
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Never waste jealousy on a real man: it is the imaginary man that supplants us all in the long run.
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950) Irish Playwright
Envy eats nothing but its own heart.
—German Proverb
After honor and state follow envy and hate.
—Dutch Proverb
I had rather be a toad, and live upon the vapor of a dungeon than keep a corner in the thing I love for others uses.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
O! beware, my lord, of jealousy; It is the green-eyed monster which doth mock the meat it feeds on.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Envy comes from people’s ignorance of, or lack of belief in, their own gifts.
—Jean Vanier (1928–2019) French-Canadian Philosopher, Theologian, Humanitarian
You cannot hope to build a better world without improving the individuals. To that end, each of us must work for our own improvement and, at the same time, share a general responsibility for all humanity, our particular duty being to aid those to whom we think we can be most useful.
—Marie Curie (1867–1934) Polish-born French Physicist, Chemist
‘Tis a monster begot upon itself, born on itself.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
To cure jealousy is to see it for what it is, a dissatisfaction with self, an impossible claim that one should be at once Rose Bowl princess, medieval scholar, Saint Joan, Milly Theale, Temple Drake, Eleanor of Aquitaine, one
—Joan Didion (1934–2021) American Essayist, Novelist, Memoirist
Jealousy is not a barometer by which the depth of love can be read. It merely records the degree of the lover’s insecurity.
—Margaret Mead (1901–78) American Anthropologist, Social Psychologist
He that is not jealous is not in love.
—Augustine of Hippo (354–430) Roman-African Christian Philosopher
Envy is a waste of time.
—Unknown
Potter is jealous of potter, and craftsman of craftsman; and the poor have a grudge against the poor, and the poet against the poet.
—Hesiod (f.700 BCE) Greek Poet
Love is too rare to be lost on jealousy.
—Mexican Proverb
My wife’s jealousy is getting ridiculous. The other day she looked at my calendar and wanted to know who May was.
—Rodney Dangerfield (1921–2004) American Comedian, TV Personality, Actor
Envy assails the noblest: the winds howl around the highest peaks.
—Ovid (Publius Ovidius Naso) (c.43 BCE–c.18 CE) Roman Poet
Of all the passions, jealousy is that which exacts the hardest service, and pays the bitterest wages. Its service is, to watch the success of our enemy; its wages to be sure of it.
—Charles Caleb Colton (c.1780–1832) English Clergyman, Aphorist
The fault-finder—it is his nature’s plague to spy into abuses; and oft his jealousy shapes faults that are not.
—William Shakespeare (1564–1616) British Playwright
Envy is thin because it bites but never eats.
—Spanish Proverb
The ear of jealousy heareth all things.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Jealousy… is a mental cancer.
—B. C. Forbes (1880–1954) Scottish-born American Journalist, Publisher
Don’t hold grudges; it’s pointless. Jealousy too is a non-cathartic, negative emotion.
—Indian Proverb
If envy were a fever, all the world would be ill.
—Danish Proverb
Plain women are always jealous of their husbands. Beautiful women never are. They are always so occupied with being jealous of other women’s husbands.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
Pity is for the living, envy is for the dead.
—Mark Twain (1835–1910) American Humorist
Jealousy is nothing more than a fear of abandonment
—Indian Proverb
He who is next heir to supreme power, is always suspected and hated by him who actually wields it.
—Tacitus (56–117) Roman Orator, Historian
The effectiveness of work increases according to a geometrical progression if there are no interruptions.
—Andre Maurois (1885–1967) French Novelist, Biographer
The “Green-eyed Monster” causes much woe, but the absence of this ugly serpent argues the presence of a corpse whose name is Eros.
—Minna Antrim (1861–1950) American Writer, Epigrammist