Enemies are so stimulating.
—Katharine Hepburn (1907–2003) American Actor, TV Personality
The real enemy can always be met and conquered, or won over. Real antagonism is based on love, a love which has not recognized itself.
—Henry Miller (1891–1980) American Novelist
Beware of no man more than of yourself; we carry our worst enemies within us.
—Charles Spurgeon (1834–92) English Baptist Preacher
Five enemies of peace inhabit with us—avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.
—Petrarch (1304–74) Italian Scholar, Poet, Humanist
Promises may fit the friends, but non-performance will turn them into enemies.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
The nearest I can make it out, “Love your Enemies” means, “Hate your Friends”
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
A weapon is an enemy even to its owner.
—Turkish Proverb
A powerful friend becomes a powerful enemy.
—African Proverb
Love your Enemies, for they tell you your Faults.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
There once was a bald man who sat down after work on a hot summer’s day. A fly came up and kept buzzing about his bald pate, and stinging him from time to time. The man aimed a blow at his little enemy, but – whack – his palm come on his own head instead; again the fly tormented him, but this time the man was wiser and said: “you will only injure yourself if you take notice of dispicable enemies.”
—Aesop (620–564 BCE) Greek Fabulist
You shall judge of a man by his foes as well as by his friends.
—Joseph Conrad (1857–1924) Polish-born British Novelist
Instead of loving your enemies, treat your friends a little better.
—E. W. Howe (1853–1937) American Novelist, Editor
A person is his own worst enemy.
—Anonymous
One enemy can harm you more than a hundred friends can do you good.
—German Proverb
O wise man, wash your hands of that friend who associates with your enemies.
—Sa’Di (Musharrif Od-Din Muslih Od-Din) (c.1213–91) Persian Poet
Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty.
—Stephen King (b.1947) American Novelist, Screenwriter, Columnist, Film Director
Pass by your enemy hungry but never naked.
—Egyptian Proverb
A wise man profits more from his enemies than a fool from his friends.
—Baltasar Gracian (1601–58) Spanish Scholar, Prose Writer
Our enemies come nearer the truth in the opinions they form of us than we do in our opinion of ourselves.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
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
Who are enemies? Those who oppose each others will.
—M. C. Richards (1916–99) American Poet, Potter, Author
A merely fallen enemy may rise again, but the reconciled one is truly vanquished.
—Johan Christoph Schiller
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
Scratch a lover and find an enemy.
—German Proverb
Give us courage and gaiety and the quiet mind. Spare to us our friends, soften to us our enemies. Bless us, if it may be, in all our innocent endeavors. If it may not, give us the strength to encounter that which is to come, that we be brave in peril, constant in tribulation, temperate in wrath, and in all changes of fortune and down to the gates of death, loyal and loving one to another.
—Robert Louis Stevenson (1850–94) Scottish Novelist
The best way to destroy your enemy is to make him your friend.
—Abraham Lincoln (1809–65) American Head of State
Our greatest foes, and whom we must chiefly combat, are within.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
Your friend lends and your enemy asks for payment.
—Dutch Proverb
Marriage is the only war in which you sleep with the enemy.
—Unknown
Whatever the number of a man’s friends, there will be times in his life when he has one too few; but if he has only one enemy, he is lucky indeed if he has not one too many.
—Edward Bulwer-Lytton, 1st Baron Lytton (1803–73) British Novelist, Poet, Politician
Leave a Reply