--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe." description: "\"Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.\" — Dorothy Parker" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg" --- # Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. ![“Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.” quote by Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg) > “Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.” [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line juxtaposes contrasting states—idleness, sorrow, companionship, and antagonism—to highlight life’s emotional dualities. **In simple terms:** Life mixes opposite feelings and relationships. Key Takeaway Recognize and balance contrasting emotions. Themes emotions relationships duality Mood melancholic contemplative Type literary reflective When to use this quote - personal journaling - creative writing - therapy sessions - conflict resolution Key Concepts existential reflection psychology Questions to Reflect On - How do you navigate conflicting feelings? - What role does a foe play in personal growth? A Different Perspective Balancing opposites can be overwhelming without self‑care. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Grief](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/grief/) [Idleness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/idleness/) [Sorrow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sorrow/) ## Related quotes > [Four things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/four-things-i-am-wiser-to-know-idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [And he who has dwelt with his heart alone, Hears all the music in friendship's tone. So better and better I comprehend How sorrow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ella-wheeler-wilcox/and-he-who-has-dwelt-with-his-heart-alone-hears-all-the-music-in/) [Ella Wheeler Wilcox](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ella-wheeler-wilcox/) > [Four be the things I am wiser to know: Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe. Four be the things I'd been better without:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/four-be-the-things-i-am-wiser-to-know-idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“Make use of every friend— and every foe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/make-use-of-every-friend-and-every-foe/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Your son at five is your master, at ten your slave, at fifteen your double, and after that, your friend or foe, depending on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hasdai-ibn-shaprut/your-son-at-five-is-your-master-at-ten-your-slave-at-fifteen-your/) Hasdai ibn Shaprut > [Trust not yourself, but your defects to know, make use of every friend and every foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-pope/trust-not-yourself-but-your-defects-to-know-make-use-of-every-friend/) [Alexander Pope](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-pope/) > [Someday I wonder if your a friend or a foe but now I see your a foe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/someday-i-wonder-if-your-a-friend-or-a-foe-but-now-i-see-your-a-foe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [He is wise that can make a friend of a foe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ray/he-is-wise-that-can-make-a-friend-of-a-foe/) [John Ray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ray/) > [Pressure has always been more of a friend than a foe for me with songwriting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-foster/pressure-has-always-been-more-of-a-friend-than-a-foe-for-me-with/) [Mark Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-foster/) > [Was it a friend or foe that spread these lies; Nay, who but infants question in such wise, twas one of my most intimate…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dante-gabriel-rossetti/was-it-a-friend-or-foe-that-spread-these-lies-nay-who-but-infants/) [Dante Gabriel Rossetti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dante-gabriel-rossetti/) > [Observe with both friend and foe the ordinary rules of courtesy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alveda-king/observe-with-both-friend-and-foe-the-ordinary-rules-of-courtesy/) [Alveda King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alveda-king/) > [“Before the ocean is a friend or foe, it simply is. And so are you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ava-reid/before-the-ocean-is-a-friend-or-foe-it-simply-is-and-so-are-you/) Ava Reid > [“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance that is desired less and rewarded most when embraced.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-is-a-common-acquaintance-that/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) > [I have known war as few men now living know it. It's very destructiveness on both friend and foe has rendered it useless as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-macarthur/i-have-known-war-as-few-men-now-living-know-it-it-s-very/) [Douglas MacArthur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-macarthur/) > [“Adversity is neither friend nor foe. It is a common acquaintance whose presence is least desired, but most rewarding when embraced."- Carolyn Wells, Start…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-wells/adversity-is-neither-friend-nor-foe-it-is-a-common-acquaintance-whose/) [Carolyn Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-wells/) ## More by Dorothy Parker > [There's little in taking or giving, There's little in water or wine: This living, this living, this living, Was never a project of mine.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-little-in-taking-or-giving-there-s-little-in-water-or-wine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Writing is the art of applying the ass to the seat.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/writing-is-the-art-of-applying-the-ass-to-the-seat/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Hollywood is the one place on earth where you could die of encouragement.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/hollywood-is-the-one-place-on-earth-where-you-could-die-of/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [“The two most beautiful words in the English language are 'check enclosed.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-two-most-beautiful-words-in-the-english-language-are-check/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Sometimes I think Ill give up trying, and just go completely Russian and sit on a stove and moan all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/sometimes-i-think-ill-give-up-trying-and-just-go-completely-russian/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [I was always sweet, at first. Oh, it's so easy to be sweet to people before you love them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/i-was-always-sweet-at-first-oh-it-s-so-easy-to-be-sweet-to-people/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Now to me, Edith looks like something that would eat her young.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/now-to-me-edith-looks-like-something-that-would-eat-her-young/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Misfortune, and recited misfortune especially, can be prolonged to the point where it ceases to excite pity and arouses only irritation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/misfortune-and-recited-misfortune-especially-can-be-prolonged-to-the/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [The sun's gone dim, and the moon's gone black. For I loved him, and he didn't love back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/the-sun-s-gone-dim-and-the-moon-s-gone-black-for-i-loved-him-and-he/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [There's a hell of a distance between wisecracking and wit. Wit has truth in it; wisecracking is simply calisthenics with words.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/there-s-a-hell-of-a-distance-between-wisecracking-and-wit-wit-has/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Oh, life is a glorious cycle of song, A medley of extemporanea; And love is a thing that can never go wrong; And I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/oh-life-is-a-glorious-cycle-of-song-a-medley-of-extemporanea-and-love/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Enjoyed it! One more drink and I'd have been under the host.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/enjoyed-it-one-more-drink-and-i-d-have-been-under-the-host/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [This living, this living, this living Was never a project of mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/this-living-this-living-this-living-was-never-a-project-of-mine/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [Flowers are heaven's masterpiece.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/flowers-are-heaven-s-masterpiece/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) > [It costs me never a stab nor squirm / To tread by chance upon a worm. / Aha, my little dear, / I say,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/it-costs-me-never-a-stab-nor-squirm-to-tread-by-chance-upon-a-worm/) [Dorothy Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) [Explore all 398 Dorothy Parker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/) [Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/) > [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/) Unknwon > [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/) [Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/) > [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/) [Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/) > [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/) [Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/) > [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/) [Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) KushSoulja > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) Shelly Yang > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Dorothy Parker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/384/dorothy-parker-700_friendship_idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe-18906_1890687.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a foe.” — Dorothy Parker", "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": "Dorothy Parker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dorothy-parker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Idleness, sorrow, a friend, and a...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dorothy-parker/idleness-sorrow-a-friend-and-a-foe/#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 } } ] } ```