Hate Quotes
Shakespeare, Byron, Benjamin Franklin, Jesus and Audre Lorde lead. The best-sourced lines are King’s, from Strength to Love (1963), that hatred paralyzes life and love releases it, and Rousseau’s, from the Confessions, that hatred, like love, renders its votaries credulous. Samuel Butler’s notebooks, published in 1912, have the most cynical entry: it does not matter much what a man hates provided he hates something.
Two entries are flagged as disputed. “Few people can be happy unless they hate some other person, nation, or creed” is credited to Bertrand Russell. “I don’t have prejudice, I hate everyone equally” is credited to H. L. Mencken.
The greatest hatred, like the greatest virtue and the worst dogs, is silent.
For never can true reconcilement grow,
Where wounds of deadly hate have pierced so deep.
I tell thee, be not rash; a golden bridge
is for a flying enemy.
What boots it at one gate to make defence,
And at another to let in the foe?
O cunning enemy, that, to catch a saint,
With saints dost bait thy hook!
When our hatred is too keen it places us beneath those we hate.
You will be hated by everyone because of me, but the one who stands firm to the end will be saved.