--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When a man but half forgives his enemy…" description: "\"When a man but half forgives his enemy, it is like leaving a bag of rusty nails to interpose between them.\" — Hugh Latimer" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/603/hugh-latimer-35352_bags_when-a-man-but-half-forgives-his-enemy-i_833938.jpg" --- # When a man but half forgives his enemy, it is like leaving… ![“When a man but half forgives his enemy, it is like leaving a bag of rusty nails to interpose between them.” quote by Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/603/hugh-latimer-35352_bags_when-a-man-but-half-forgives-his-enemy-i_833938.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/603/hugh-latimer-35352_bags_when-a-man-but-half-forgives-his-enemy-i_833938.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/603/hugh-latimer-35352_bags_when-a-man-but-half-forgives-his-enemy-i_833938.jpg) > “When a man but half forgives his enemy, it is like leaving a bag of rusty nails to interpose between them.” [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Partial forgiveness creates lingering resentment that harms both parties. **In simple terms:** Half forgiveness hurts both sides. Key Takeaway Forgive fully to heal. Themes forgiveness conflict healing Mood reflective somber Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - marriage counseling - workplace disputes - family feuds Key Concepts psychology emotional intelligence Questions to Reflect On - Can you identify where you’re holding back forgiveness? - What would full forgiveness change? A Different Perspective Partial forgiveness may be easier but sustains bitterness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bags/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Enemy Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-like-584161/) [Forgiveness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiveness/) [Forgives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgives/) [Forgives Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgives-enemy-584159/) [Forgiving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/forgiving/) [Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half/) [Half Forgives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/half-forgives-584160/) [Leaving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaving/) [Man Half](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/man-half-351485/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Nails](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nails/) ## Related quotes > [I'm my own worst enemy. I like to eat, and when people tell me to do something I do the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-arreola/i-m-my-own-worst-enemy-i-like-to-eat-and-when-people-tell-me-to-do/) [Chris Arreola](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-arreola/) > [Be careful who you choose as your enemy because that's who you become most like.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/be-careful-who-you-choose-as-your-enemy-because-that-s-who-you-become/) [Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/) > [Never trust thine enemy: for like as iron rusteth, so is his wickedness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bible/never-trust-thine-enemy-for-like-as-iron-rusteth-so-is-his-wickedness-2/) [Bible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bible/) > [“When you lose your enemy, it's like you lost your love!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fereidoon-yazdi/when-you-lose-your-enemy-it-s-like-you-lost-your-love/) [Fereidoon Yazdi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fereidoon-yazdi/) > [It's not about going around trying to stir up trouble. As long as you're honest and you articulate what you believe to be true,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/criss-jami/it-s-not-about-going-around-trying-to-stir-up-trouble-as-long-as-you/) [Criss Jami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/criss-jami/) > [F-fuck u fakes R-rubbish,ruscal I-irritating E-evil,enemy N-never like u bloody D-devil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/zara/f-fuck-u-fakes-r-rubbish-ruscal-i-irritating-e-evil-enemy-n-never/) [Zara](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/zara/) > [Hate wears you down and doesn’t hurt your enemy. It’s like taking poison and hoping your enemy will die.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-frost/hate-wears-you-down-and-doesn-t-hurt-your-enemy-it-s-like-taking/) [Mark Frost](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-frost/) > [An enemy is like a man's most prized flower. 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Like the post-punks, Public Enemy implicitly accepted the idea that a politics…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-fisher/abduction-was-what-it-felt-like-on-first-listening-to-public-enemy/) [Mark Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-fisher/) > [The enemy is like a woman, weak in face of opposition, but correspondingly strong when not opposed. In a quarrel with a man, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-enemy-is-like-a-woman-weak-in-face-of-opposition-but/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I think my worst enemy was myself. It's like I've been in my own way more than anybody else has been.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kelela/i-think-my-worst-enemy-was-myself-it-s-like-i-ve-been-in-my-own-way/) [Kelela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kelela/) > [I'm telling you there's an enemy that would like to attack America, Americans, again. There just is. That's the reality of the world. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush/i-m-telling-you-there-s-an-enemy-that-would-like-to-attack-america/) [George W. Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [An enemy is like boiling water in a pot on the stove whose button may sometimes be in your hands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/an-enemy-is-like-boiling-water-in-a-pot-on-the-stove-whose-button-may/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Hugh Latimer > [Wherever you observe persecution, there is more than a probability that truth lies on il the persecuted side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/wherever-you-observe-persecution-there-is-more-than-a-probability/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [Say the truth and shame the devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/say-the-truth-and-shame-the-devil/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [Play the man, Mastre Ridley; we shall this day light such a cndle, by God's grace in England, as I trust shall never be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/play-the-man-mastre-ridley-we-shall-this-day-light-such-a-cndle-by/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [We may not be weaklings because we have a strong enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/we-may-not-be-weaklings-because-we-have-a-strong-enemy/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [The poorest ploughman is in Christ equal with the greatest prince that is. Let them therefore have sufficient to maintain them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/the-poorest-ploughman-is-in-christ-equal-with-the-greatest-prince/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [As every lord giveth a certain livery to his servants, charity is the very livery of Christ. Our Saviour, Who is the Lord above…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/as-every-lord-giveth-a-certain-livery-to-his-servants-charity-is-the/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [Wherever you see persecution, there is more than a probability that truth lies on the persecuted side.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/wherever-you-see-persecution-there-is-more-than-a-probability-that/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [O that our prelates would be as diligent to sow the corn of good doctrine, as Satan is to sow cockle and darnel!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/o-that-our-prelates-would-be-as-diligent-to-sow-the-corn-of-good/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [“Be of good comfort, Mr. Ridley, and play the man: We shall this day light such a candle, by God's grace, in England, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/be-of-good-comfort-mr-ridley-and-play-the-man-we-shall-this-day-light/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [In olden times an enemy was sometimes poisoned by a bouquet,--deceit sugar-coated.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/in-olden-times-an-enemy-was-sometimes-poisoned-by-a-bouquet-deceit/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [Saviour! teach me, day by day, Love's sweet lesson to obey; Sweeter lesson cannot be, Loving Him who first loved me. Charity is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/saviour-teach-me-day-by-day-love-s-sweet-lesson-to-obey-sweeter/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) > [The drop of rain maketh a hole in the stone, not by violence, but by oft falling.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-latimer/the-drop-of-rain-maketh-a-hole-in-the-stone-not-by-violence-but-by/) [Hugh Latimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) [Explore all 13 Hugh Latimer quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-latimer/) ## More Bags quotes > [Why couldn't Jesus command us to obsess over everything, to try to control and manipulate people, to try not to breathe at all, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anne-lamott/why-couldn-t-jesus-command-us-to-obsess-over-everything-to-try-to/) [Anne Lamott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anne-lamott/) > [I love Christopher Bailey and Burberry, Mulberry for bags, and Hudson for jeans. 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(Simon) 'Cool,' said Kyle, slinging his messenger bag over his shoulder and heading for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/i-have-a-dress-fitting-to-get-to-at-three-simon-cool-said-kyle/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [Never bet with anyone you meet on the first tee who has a deep suntan, a 1-iron in his bag, and squinty eyes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-marr/never-bet-with-anyone-you-meet-on-the-first-tee-who-has-a-deep-suntan/) [Dave Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-marr/) > [If you go out on the Appalachian Trail, you have to bring so much more equipment - a tent, sleeping bag - but if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-bryson/if-you-go-out-on-the-appalachian-trail-you-have-to-bring-so-much-more/) [Bill Bryson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-bryson/) > [Politics is not bean bags. It's serious, tough stuff.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-powell/politics-is-not-bean-bags-it-s-serious-tough-stuff/) [Colin Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-powell/) > [I like bags that are easy to wear and are pretty to look at. But I don't like them when they have no space…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-dellal/i-like-bags-that-are-easy-to-wear-and-are-pretty-to-look-at-but-i-don/) [Alice Dellal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-dellal/) > [I drive a Prius. I always turn my faucets off. I never use plastic bottles anymore. I use glass bottles. 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