--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But if you do not forgive, and you think…" description: "\"“But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time about getting even, or punishing somebody who has done you a wrong, what are you achieving?”\" — ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png" --- # But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time… ![“But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time about getting even, or punishing somebody who has done you a wrong, what are you achieving?” quote by Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png) > ““But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time about getting even, or punishing somebody who has done you a wrong, what are you achieving?”” [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Holding onto revenge consumes energy without benefit; forgiveness frees you **In simple terms:** Forgiving releases you from endless retaliation Key Takeaway Let go of grudges for peace Themes forgiveness peace personal growth Mood contemplative serene Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - conflict resolution - personal relationships - legal disputes Key Concepts emotional release ethical living Questions to Reflect On - What does forgiveness truly mean to you? - Can you find peace without compromising justice? A Different Perspective Forgiveness may feel like condoning wrongdoing ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [Forgive yourself for what you think you've done or not done. At every moment, you had your reasons for all of your actions and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doreen-virtue/forgive-yourself-for-what-you-think-you-ve-done-or-not-done-at-every/) [Doreen Virtue](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doreen-virtue/) > [“But with her eyes closed, she began to whisper. “If you have someone to love, then love. If you have someone to forgive, then…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-anderson-kurk/but-with-her-eyes-closed-she-began-to-whisper-if-you-have-someone-to/) [Laura Anderson Kurk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-anderson-kurk/) > [If you can't forgive yourself, you think you're never going to be able to forgive yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/if-you-can-t-forgive-yourself-you-think-you-re-never-going-to-be-able-2/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“if the goddes can forgive her, can't we?" "I think there's a big difference between forgiving her and makin her into something she wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-c-cast-and-kristin-cast/if-the-goddes-can-forgive-her-can-t-we-i-think-there-s-a-big/) [P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-c-cast-and-kristin-cast/) > [It's not easy to forgive. I definitely don't forget, but I do forgive and I think that you should.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/odette-annable/it-s-not-easy-to-forgive-i-definitely-don-t-forget-but-i-do-forgive/) [Odette Annable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/odette-annable/) > [Forgiveness is something YOU choose to do, so why is it so hard to forgive someone when THEY think they did nothing wrong?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/forgiveness-is-something-you-choose-to-do-so-why-is-it-so-hard-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [If you can't forgive yourself, you think you're never going to be able to forgive yourself, and you repeat the same behavior.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hader/if-you-can-t-forgive-yourself-you-think-you-re-never-going-to-be-able/) [Bill Hader](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hader/) > [“There comes a point at which you have to let go and forgive. You can start your prayer with, 'Help me to forgive because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caroline-myss/there-comes-a-point-at-which-you-have-to-let-go-and-forgive-you-can/) [Caroline Myss](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caroline-myss/) > [“It is better for a leader to make a mistake in forgiving than to make a mistake in punishing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad/it-is-better-for-a-leader-to-make-a-mistake-in-forgiving-than-to-make/) [Muhammad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad/) > [Poverty can't be eliminated by punishing people who've escaped poverty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/p-j-o-rourke/poverty-can-t-be-eliminated-by-punishing-people-who-ve-escaped-poverty/) [P. J. O'Rourke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-j-o-rourke/) > [Chemo is properly punishing, and it's hard to do things at the usual level.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grant-shapps/chemo-is-properly-punishing-and-it-s-hard-to-do-things-at-the-usual/) [Grant Shapps](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grant-shapps/) > [When God takes away something from your hands, don't ever think that He is punishing you instead He is just leaving you empty handed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernajoy-vaal/when-god-takes-away-something-from-your-hands-don-t-ever-think-that/) [Bernajoy Vaal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernajoy-vaal/) > [“When he broke that long kiss, he smiled at her before kissing her hard. “So, my love, I hope that your punishment will stop…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khul-waters/when-he-broke-that-long-kiss-he-smiled-at-her-before-kissing-her-hard/) [Khul Waters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khul-waters/) > [Understand this law and you will then know, beyond room for the slightest doubt, that you are constantly punishing yourself for every wrong you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/understand-this-law-and-you-will-then-know-beyond-room-for-the/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You're punishing him over and over for things that are out of his control. Now, I'm not saying you shouldn't have a fully loaded…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzanne-collins/you-re-punishing-him-over-and-over-for-things-that-are-out-of-his/) [Suzanne Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzanne-collins/) ## More by Alexander McCall Smith > [“old-fashioned, gentle Scottish physician, unmoved by the considerations of profit and personal gain that could so disfigure medicine. That doctors should consider themselves businessmen…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/old-fashioned-gentle-scottish-physician-unmoved-by-the-considerations/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“She had not made a lot of money, but she had not made a loss, and she had been happy and entertained. That counted…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/she-had-not-made-a-lot-of-money-but-she-had-not-made-a-loss-and-she/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [And that, in a way, was the burden of being a philosopher: one knew what one had to do, but it was so often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-that-in-a-way-was-the-burden-of-being-a-philosopher-one-knew-what/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“To use strong language, she thought, was a sign of bad temper and lack of concern for others. Such people were not clever or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/to-use-strong-language-she-thought-was-a-sign-of-bad-temper-and-lack/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Men are very sensitive, Mma Makutsi. You would not always think it to look at them, but they are. They do not like you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/men-are-very-sensitive-mma-makutsi-you-would-not-always-think-it-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He is a good man, but even a good man can fall for a glamorous woman. That is well known.” “That is very well…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-is-a-good-man-but-even-a-good-man-can-fall-for-a-glamorous-woman/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And then the second thing you have to do is go and see your son. That is a duty of love, Andrew. It's as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-then-the-second-thing-you-have-to-do-is-go-and-see-your-son-that/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Because laughs never die away entirely,” said Jamie. “At least, if you believe in Marconi.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/because-laughs-never-die-away-entirely-said-jamie-at-least-if-you/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“The trouble with having a conscience, she said to herself, is that it never sleeps.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/the-trouble-with-having-a-conscience-she-said-to-herself-is-that-it/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“And if there's bad behaviour," Mma Potokwane went on. "If there's bad behaviour, the quickest way of stopping it is to give more love.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/and-if-there-s-bad-behaviour-mma-potokwane-went-on-if-there-s-bad/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“We never realise how transparent we are.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/we-never-realise-how-transparent-we-are/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Has he not got a wife back wherever he comes from? Is there no wife to say, ‘You must not go off and visit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/has-he-not-got-a-wife-back-wherever-he-comes-from-is-there-no-wife-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“He looked at her in the darkness, at this woman who was everything to him-mother, Africa, wisdom, understanding, good things to eat, pumpkins, chicken,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/he-looked-at-her-in-the-darkness-at-this-woman-who-was-everything-to/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“It is because you are generous in spirit; and may I be like that; may I become like you—which unrealistic wish, to become the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/it-is-because-you-are-generous-in-spirit-and-may-i-be-like-that-may-i/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) > [“Mr. J.L.B. Matekoni,” she asked, “do you think that our souls grow as we get older?” He did not answer immediately, but when he did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/mr-j-l-b-matekoni-she-asked-do-you-think-that-our-souls-grow-as-we/) [Alexander McCall Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) [Explore all 628 Alexander McCall Smith quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/) ## More Forgive quotes > [“So in practicing blanket forgiveness you first assume that in any current condition of pain or discomfort there is some anger involved, even if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/serge-kahili-king/so-in-practicing-blanket-forgiveness-you-first-assume-that-in-any/) Serge Kahili King > [Do what is given to you, and do it well, and you will have done enough...live together in the forgiveness of your sins. Forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/do-what-is-given-to-you-and-do-it-well-and-you-will-have-done-enough/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The public, more often than not, will forgive mistakes, but it will not forgive trying to wiggle out of one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-grizzard/the-public-more-often-than-not-will-forgive-mistakes-but-it-will-not/) [Lewis Grizzard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-grizzard/) > [Im so sorry,i screwed up again.i didnt meant hurting you.please,forgive me,again?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/redeyeen/im-so-sorry-i-screwed-up-again-i-didnt-meant-hurting-you-please/) Redeyeen > [“He fell back. He had cried out so loud that even if there had been no breach in the wall, I should have heard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henri-barbusse/he-fell-back-he-had-cried-out-so-loud-that-even-if-there-had-been-no/) [Henri Barbusse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henri-barbusse/) > [Forgive us our trespasses," says Margarethe, "and get out of our way.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/forgive-us-our-trespasses-says-margarethe-and-get-out-of-our-way/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“ving self and others is an every second of every day of every week, of every month, of every year gift that should not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sanjo-jendayi/ving-self-and-others-is-an-every-second-of-every-day-of-every-week-of/) [Sanjo Jendayi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sanjo-jendayi/) > [Ive learned¦ that no matter how good a friend is, theyre going to hurt you every once in a while, and you must forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/ive-learned-that-no-matter-how-good-a-friend-is-theyre-going-to-hurt/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgive yourself for not being the richest, the thinnest, the tallest, the one with the best hair. Forgive yourself for not being the most…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seth-godin/forgive-yourself-for-not-being-the-richest-the-thinnest-the-tallest/) [Seth Godin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seth-godin/) > [If you can't forgive and forget, pick only one.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-brault/if-you-can-t-forgive-and-forget-pick-only-one/) [Robert Brault](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-brault/) > [I feel people relate with your entire journey and forgive your mistakes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rahul-vaidya/i-feel-people-relate-with-your-entire-journey-and-forgive-your/) [Rahul Vaidya](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rahul-vaidya/) > [More courage is required to forgive than is required to take up arms.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jose-ramos-horta/more-courage-is-required-to-forgive-than-is-required-to-take-up-arms/) [Jose Ramos-Horta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jose-ramos-horta/) > [“The Bible says, “You must make allowance for each other’s faults and forgive the person who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rick-warren/the-bible-says-you-must-make-allowance-for-each-other-s-faults-and/) [Rick Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rick-warren/) > [“By choosing to forgive, you are choosing to love. By choosing to operate in love, you are choosing to operate in an unconditional state…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eric-watterson/by-choosing-to-forgive-you-are-choosing-to-love-by-choosing-to/) Eric Watterson > [The most important thing about being a father is being able to forgive yourself. If you don't forgive yourself, you're not going to forgive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evander-holyfield/the-most-important-thing-about-being-a-father-is-being-able-to/) [Evander Holyfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evander-holyfield/) Browse all 3,381 Forgive quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time about getting even, or punishing somebody who has done you a wrong, what are you achieving?”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Alexander McCall Smith" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think-all-the-time-about-getting/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Forgive" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think-all-the-time-about-getting/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/264/alexander-mccall-smith-372_forgive_but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think_1277435.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“But if you do not forgive, and you think all the time about getting even, or punishing somebody who has done…” — Alexander McCall Smith", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Alexander McCall Smith", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-mccall-smith/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“But if you do not forgive,...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think-all-the-time-about-getting/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-mccall-smith/but-if-you-do-not-forgive-and-you-think-all-the-time-about-getting/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```