--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Never injure a friend, even in jest." description: "\"Never injure a friend, even in jest.\" — Marcus Tullius Cicero" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg" --- # Never injure a friend, even in jest. ![“Never injure a friend, even in jest.” quote by Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg) > “Never injure a friend, even in jest.” [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. One should never cause harm to a friend, even jokingly, as it damages trust. **In simple terms:** Never hurt a friend, even in jokes. Key Takeaway Respect friends, avoid harmful jokes. Themes friendship ethics respect Mood cautious empathetic Type ethical philosophical When to use this quote - team building - classroom dynamics - online communities Key Concepts moral philosophy social conduct trust Questions to Reflect On - When does a joke cross the line? - How to apologize if you offend a friend? A Different Perspective Humor can be misinterpreted; intent isn’t enough. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) ## Related quotes > [Some had rather lose their friend then their Jest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-herbert/some-had-rather-lose-their-friend-then-their-jest/) [George Herbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-herbert/) > [Let us never adopt the maxim, Rather lose our friend than our jest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quintilian/let-us-never-adopt-the-maxim-rather-lose-our-friend-than-our-jest/) [Quintilian](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quintilian/) > [“He wil sooner lose his best friend, then his least jest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-jonson/he-wil-sooner-lose-his-best-friend-then-his-least-jest/) [Ben Jonson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-jonson/) > [The most powerful nation on earth should be able to pass a fair, effective immigration law that combines compassion with responsibility and does not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-o-reilly/the-most-powerful-nation-on-earth-should-be-able-to-pass-a-fair/) [Bill O'Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-o-reilly/) > [No government can be strong and flourishing while the national character is weak and degraded. A government must flourish and decay with its subjects;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-robbins-curtis/no-government-can-be-strong-and-flourishing-while-the-national/) [Benjamin Robbins Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-robbins-curtis/) > [Put this restriction on your pleasures, be cautious that they injure no being that lives.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-zimmerman/put-this-restriction-on-your-pleasures-be-cautious-that-they-injure/) [John Zimmerman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-zimmerman/) > [He who wishes to injure another, will soon find a pretext.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/he-who-wishes-to-injure-another-will-soon-find-a-pretext/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [If you try to pull too much power through too soon, you will injure yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/if-you-try-to-pull-too-much-power-through-too-soon-you-will-injure/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [To injure an opponent is to injure yourself. To control aggression without inflicting injury is the Art of Peace.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/morihei-ueshiba/to-injure-an-opponent-is-to-injure-yourself-to-control-aggression/) [Morihei Ueshiba](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/morihei-ueshiba/) > [When a Benefit is wrongly conferred, the author of the Benefit may often be said to injure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/when-a-benefit-is-wrongly-conferred-the-author-of-the-benefit-may/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [A readiness to resent injuries is a virtue only in those who are slow to injure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-brinsley-sheridan/a-readiness-to-resent-injuries-is-a-virtue-only-in-those-who-are-slow/) [Richard Brinsley Sheridan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-brinsley-sheridan/) > [“It is those who injure women who get the most kindness from them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-makepeace-thackeray/it-is-those-who-injure-women-who-get-the-most-kindness-from-them/) [William Makepeace Thackeray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-makepeace-thackeray/) > [Every time guns fall into the wrong hands and are used to intimidate, injure, or murder women, it erodes the rights of responsible gun…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-giffords/every-time-guns-fall-into-the-wrong-hands-and-are-used-to-intimidate/) [Gabrielle Giffords](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-giffords/) > [To spare the guilty is to injure the innocent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/publilius-syrus/to-spare-the-guilty-is-to-injure-the-innocent/) [Publilius Syrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/publilius-syrus/) > [Athletes at all ages are bigger and stronger than ever before. And they are being encouraged - sometimes even incentivized, as we recently learned…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/naveen-jain/athletes-at-all-ages-are-bigger-and-stronger-than-ever-before-and/) [Naveen Jain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/naveen-jain/) ## More by Marcus Tullius Cicero > [Laughing, laughing, laughing, laughing! It is the jester! A voice from the Void, to cheer poor Cicero! I accept your gift, dearest Night Mother.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/laughing-laughing-laughing-laughing-it-is-the-jester-a-voice-from-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [This is a proof of a well-trained mind, to rejoice in what is good and to grieve at the opposite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/this-is-a-proof-of-a-well-trained-mind-to-rejoice-in-what-is-good-and/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Let art, then, imitate nature, find what she desires, and follow as she directs. For in invention nature is never last, education never first;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/let-art-then-imitate-nature-find-what-she-desires-and-follow-as-she/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/gratitude-is-not-only-the-greatest-of-virtues-but-the-parent-of-all/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Things sacred should not only be touched with the hands, but unviolated in thought. \[Lat., Res sacros non modo manibus attingi, sed ne cogitatione…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/things-sacred-should-not-only-be-touched-with-the-hands-but/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Grief is not in the nature of things, but in opinion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/grief-is-not-in-the-nature-of-things-but-in-opinion/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Physicians, when the cause of disease is discovered, consider that the cure is discovered.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/physicians-when-the-cause-of-disease-is-discovered-consider-that-the/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nihil est incertius vulgo, nihil obscurius voluntate hominum, nihil fallacius ratione tota comitiorum. (Nothing is more unpredictable than the mob, nothing more obscure than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nihil-est-incertius-vulgo-nihil-obscurius-voluntate-hominum-nihil/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The foundations of justice are that on one shall suffer wrong; then, that the public good be promoted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-foundations-of-justice-are-that-on-one-shall-suffer-wrong-then/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [“The life of the dead is set in the memory of the living.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-life-of-the-dead-is-set-in-the-memory-of-the-living/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Pardon is granted to necessity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/pardon-is-granted-to-necessity/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Friendship embraces innumerable ends; turn where you will it is ever at your side; no barrier shuts it out; it is never untimely and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/friendship-embraces-innumerable-ends-turn-where-you-will-it-is-ever/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [History is the witness of the times, the light of truth, the life of memory, the teacher of life, the messenger of antiquity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/history-is-the-witness-of-the-times-the-light-of-truth-the-life-of/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [The Jews belong to a dark and repulsive force. One knows how numerous this clique is, how they stick together and what power they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/the-jews-belong-to-a-dark-and-repulsive-force-one-knows-how-numerous/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) > [Nature has planted in our minds an insatiable longing to see the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/nature-has-planted-in-our-minds-an-insatiable-longing-to-see-the-truth/) [Marcus Tullius Cicero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) [Explore all 1,068 Marcus Tullius Cicero quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/) ## More Friend quotes > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. 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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": "Never injure a friend, even in jest.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marcus Tullius Cicero" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a22/marcus-tullius-cicero-157_friend_never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest-25864_2586490.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Never injure a friend, even in jest.” — Marcus Tullius Cicero", "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": "Marcus Tullius Cicero", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-tullius-cicero/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Never injure a friend, even in...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-tullius-cicero/never-injure-a-friend-even-in-jest/#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 } } ] } ```