47 Enemy Quotes

In the landscape of literature, film, and even everyday conversation, the concept of an "enemy" has always been a source of fascination and reflection. For some, enemies embody the obstacles and opposition that shape our journeys. For others, they highlight the shadows that make our lights shine brighter. Whether they are figures in our stories or challenges in our lives, enemies push us to define who we are and what we stand for. Explore our curated collection of the top 47 enemy quotes, capturing the essence of conflict, rivalry, and resilience in profound and thought-provoking ways.

1. “Always forgive your enemies; nothing annoys them so much.” - Oscar Wilde

2. “It is easy enough to be friendly to one's friends. But to befriend the one who regards himself as your enemy is the quintessence of true religion. The other is mere business.” - Mahatma Gandhi

3. “The Bible tells us to love our neighbors, and also to love our enemies; probably because generally they are the same people.” - G.K. Chesterton

4. “We do not merely destroy our enemies; we change them.” - George Orwell

5. “My enemies are worms, cool days, and most of all woodchucks.” - Henry David Thoreau

6. “How many of us have conflicts with someone else- and how many of us pray for that person? We have individuals with whom we are competitive, or whom we dislike or have a quarrel with; but very few of us have true enemies in the martial sense. And yet if Lincoln could pray fervently- and contemporary reports indicate he did- for the people who were opposing him, how much more can we do for someone we just find a little irritating?” - John Wooden

7. “Enemies are people who's story you haven't heard, or who's face you haven't seen.” - Irene Butter

8. “An enemy generally says and believes what he wishes.” - Thomas Jefferson

9. “The life of the enemy . Whoever lives for the sake of combating an enemy has an interest in the enemy's staying alive.” - Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

10. “Meg and Belch only had eyes for each other. Not in the usual romantic sense.” - Eoin Colfer

11. “The truth may not set you free, but used carefully, it can confuse the hell out of your enemies.” - Laurell K. Hamilton

12. “Tis best to weigh the enemy more mighty than he seems.” - William Shakespeare

13. “There is nothing more admirable than when two people who see eye to eye keep house as man and wife, confounding their enemies and delighting their friends.” - Homer

14. “If people think nature is their friend then they sure don't need an enemy.” - Kurt Vonnegut

15. “It is a man's own mind, not his enemy or foe, that lures him to evil ways.” - Siddhārtha Gautama

16. “Only people who're positive enough to have friends have enemies. When you're as glum and morose as he was, people just give up and go away.” - Ellis Peters

17. “That's ridiculous. The only point in having enemies is so you can defeat them, kill them, brush them aside.""Or give them a chance to redeem themselves.” - Derek Landy

18. “Want to keep Christ in Christmas? Feed the hungry, clothe the naked, forgive the guilty, welcome the unwanted, care for the ill, love your enemies, and do unto others as you would have done unto you.” - Steve Maraboli

19. “Sometimes duplicity and treason are markers of the enemy, and sometimes, the failed intention of a masterful ally. But, nevertheless, as they burden you with a vexing brand of love, they become nothing more than the kiss of Judas, pressing a crown of thorns into your flesh.” - Addison Moore

20. “Revenge in the hands of your enemies is a loaded gun. You can beg them for mercy, wave the white flag of surrender, but the only true elixir for the vitriol they bestow is a measure of hatred dispensed of your own.” - Addison Moore

21. “This new war, like the previous one, would be a test of the power of machines against people and places; whatever its causes and justifications, it would make the world worse. This was true of that new war, and it has been true of every new war since...I knew too that this new war was not even new but was only the old one come again. And what caused it? It was caused, I thought, by people failing to love one another, failing to love their enemies.” - Wendell Berry

22. “Sometimes I just want to paint the words "It's my fault" across my forehead to save people the time of being pissed off at me.” - Christina Westover

23. “Air traffic control is going to have a steamy old fit on your dime, boy.They can get in line behind the police, the people whose cars we trashed, the Empire of Ob'enn, the Partnership Collective, and the Wormgate Corporation. Oh, and I think maybe some dark matter beasties from Andromeda.You "think maybe"?-General Tagon & Captain Andreyasn” - Howard Tayler

24. “There's ways you can trust an enemy you can't always trust a friend. An enemy's never going to betray your trust.” - Daniel Abraham

25. “At this hourLie at my mercy all mine enemies.” - William Shakespeare

26. “If you want to find the real competition, just look in the mirror. After awhile you'll see your rivals scrambling for second place.” - Criss Jami

27. “There are two things in life you cannot choose. The first is your enemies; the second your family. Sometimes the difference between them is hard to see, but in the end time will show you that the cards you have been dealt could always have been worse.” - Carlos Ruiz Zafon

28. “Wrong. Enemies don't fight with such determined passion. That kind of focus is reserved for friends at odds with one another."pg 69 Tomas to Vlad” - Heather Brewer

29. “My father said to remember your enemies as well as your friends, and don't trust either of them.” - Steven Herrick

30. “Never get close to your enemies, you might start liking them.” - Cristian L. Martinez

31. “Unless people are prepared to declare themselves your enemies you have to hunt around for them.” - Auberon Waugh

32. “Never annoy an inspirational author or you will become the poison in her pen and the villian in every one of her books.” - Shannon L. Alder

33. “Don't waste time making enemies. As long as you're active, you'll have plenty.” - George Hammond

34. “This squirrel is inadequately afraid of humans! Squirrel, I am a threat to you! We are enemies! Please get off my bench! Oh, god! Oh, god! Don't touch me—oh, god!” - John Green

35. “Our task shouldn't be punishing the villains in our lives, but enlarging the God who heals us from all wounds.” - Mary DeMuth

36. “Some allies are more dangerous than enemies.” - George R.R. Martin

37. “Choose your friends carefully but don’t worry about your enemies, they will choose you” - Carl Henegan

38. “There are no saints either. We are immortal, but not so unlike the humans as you think. We have enemies, we have duties, we hate, we struggle, and we love.” - Jessica Fortunato

39. “Bitter people are not interested in what you say, but what you hide.” - Shannon L. Alder

40. “One of the most powerful lessons in life is to recognize that no one can give you power, and many people don’t want you to have it. You have to find the courage to seize it, own it and hold on!” - Shannon L. Alder

41. “Whenever we want to combat our enemies, first and foremost we must start by understanding them rather than exaggerating their motives.” - Criss Jami

42. “So help me, if something crawls out of one of these bags, I will castrate you.” “I bet you’d love that.”-Emma and Jackson” - Rachael Wade

43. “There are few things worse than mistaking an enemy for a friend.” - Wayne Gerard Trotman

44. “The bottom line remains the same: you’re either awake or you’re not.One day, there it is. Nothing. No more enemies, no more battles.” - Jed McKenna

45. “Staying silent is like a slow growing cancer to the soul and a trait of a true coward. There is nothing intelligent about not standing up for yourself. You may not win every battle. However, everyone will at least know what you stood for—YOU.” - Shannon L. Alder

46. “Normally we divide the external world into that which we consider to be good or valuable, bad or worthless, or neither. Most of the time these discriminations are incorrect or have little meaning. For example, our habitual way of categorizing people as friends, enemies, and strangers depending on how they make us feel is both incorrect and a great obstacle to developing impartial love for all living beings. Rather than holding so tightly to our discriminations of the external world, it would be much more beneficial if we learned to discriminate between valuable and worthless states of mind.” - Geshe Kelsang Gyatso

47. “The two studied one another for what seemed hours, neither saying a word. Jaden’s first inclination was to yell and demand his freedom, but something held him back. Here was a new man, and a new set of mind games. He waited for the old man to speak first and introduce himself, as Dalton had upon their first formal meeting. The stranger remained silent.” - Courtney Kirchoff