Promises may fit the friends, but non-performance will turn them into enemies.
—Benjamin Franklin (1706–90) American Political Leader, Inventor, Diplomat
Talk well of your friends and of your enemies say nothing.
—Common Proverb
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
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
In order to have an enemy, one must be somebody.—One must be a force before he can be resisted by another force—a malicious enemy is better than a clumsy friend.
—Sophie Swetchine (1782–1857) Russian Mystic, Writer
One enemy is too much.
—George Herbert (1593–1633) Welsh Anglican Poet, Orator, Clergyman
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
If you want to make enemies, try to change something.
—Woodrow Wilson (1856–1924) American Head of State
It is a man’s own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.
—Buddhist Teaching
No prudent antagonist thinks light of his adversaries.
—Johann Wolfgang von Goethe (1749–1832) German Poet
One reason we should love our enemies is that we made them ourselves. Another reason is that they keep us on our toes, a third reason is that we should make them our friends.
—Indian Proverb
If you are near the enemy, make him believe you are far from him.
If you are far from the enemy, make him believe you are near.
—Sun Tzu (fl.c.544–496 BCE) Chinese General, Military Theorist
Who are enemies? Those who oppose each others will.
—M. C. Richards (1916–99) American Poet, Potter, Author
You can discover what your enemy fears most by observing the means he uses to frighten you.
—Eric Hoffer (1902–83) American Philosopher, Author
Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you.
—The Holy Bible Scripture in the Christian Faith
Know that you are your greatest enemy, but also your greatest friend.
—Jeremy Taylor
A man can’t be too careful in the choice of his enemies.
—Oscar Wilde (1854–1900) Irish Poet, Playwright
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
It’s hard to fight an enemy who has outposts in your head.
—Sally Kempton (1943–2023) American Meditation Teacher, Author, Journalist
We make our friends; we make our enemies; but God makes our next-door neighbor.
—G. K. Chesterton (1874–1936) English Journalist, Novelist, Essayist, Poet
The enemy advances, we retreat; the enemy camps, we harass; the enemy tires, we attack; the enemy retreats, we pursue.
—Mao Zedong (1893–1976) Chinese Statesman
If you want to make peace, you don’t talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies.
—Moshe Dayan (1915–81) Israeli Soldier, Statesman
Our enemies approach nearer to truth in their judgments of us than we do ourselves.
—Francois de La Rochefoucauld (1613–80) French Writer
Art hath an enemy called ignorance.
—Ben Jonson (1572–1637) English Dramatist, Poet, Actor
So long as governments set the example of killing their enemies, private citizens will occasionally kill theirs.
—Elbert Hubbard (1856–1915) American Writer, Publisher, Artist, Philosopher
When envoys are sent with compliments in their mouths, it is a sign that the enemy wishes for a truce.
—Sun Tzu (fl.c.544–496 BCE) Chinese General, Military Theorist
Our greatest foes, and whom we must chiefly combat, are within.
—Miguel de Cervantes (1547–1616) Spanish Novelist
I have no trouble with my enemies. I can take care of my enemies all right. But my damn friends—they’re the ones that keep me walking the floor nights!
—Warren G. Harding (1865–1923) American Politician, 29th President
The worst enemy of truth and freedom in our society is the compact majority. Yes, the damned, compact, liberal majority.
—Henrik Ibsen (1828–1906) Norwegian Playwright
It is not necessary to have enemies if you go out of your way to make friends hate you.
—Frank Lane (1896–1981) American Sportsperson, Businessperson
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