--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind." description: "\"An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.\" — Martin Luther King, Jr" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png" --- # An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind. ![“An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.” quote by Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png) > “An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.” [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Retaliation perpetuates suffering for all; justice requires breaking the cycle of vengeance. **In simple terms:** Violence only harms everyone. Key Takeaway Choose non‑violent resistance. Themes justice non‑violence ethics Mood hopeful serious Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - activism - conflict resolution - legal reform Key Concepts civil rights moral philosophy Questions to Reflect On - How can societies enforce non‑violent justice? - What are alternatives to retaliation? A Different Perspective Non‑violence may be slower and harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Best revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-revenge/) [Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind/) [Blind eyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blind-eyes/) [Blinded](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blinded/) [Blindness](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blindness/) [Everybody Blind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/everybody-blind-1324933/) [Eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye/) [Eye for an eye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-for-an-eye/) [Eye Leaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eye-leaves-5348299/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Kings and love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kings-and-love/) [Leaves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaves/) [Leaves Everybody](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaves-everybody-3346454/) [Peace and justice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/peace-and-justice/) [Revenge](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/revenge/) [Right thing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/right-thing/) [Whole world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/whole-world/) ## Related quotes > [That old law about 'an eye for an eye' leaves everybody blind. The time is always right to do the right thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/that-old-law-about-an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind-the-time/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [“You said, "Ellie, this is the truth, everybody leaves. Everybody." I was just seven, and when I reached for you, you were death and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carmen-rodrigues/you-said-ellie-this-is-the-truth-everybody-leaves-everybody-i-was/) [Carmen Rodrigues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carmen-rodrigues/) > [Look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin,...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/look-to-a-day-when-people-will-not-be-judged-by-the-color-of-their/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. He who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-develop-and-maintain-the-capacity-to-forgive-he-who-is-devoid-3/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Returning hate for hate multiplies hate...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/returning-hate-for-hate-multiplies-hate/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [If you can’t run, walk; if you can’t walk, crawl, but keep moving forward!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/if-you-can-t-run-walk-if-you-can-t-walk-crawl-but-keep-moving-forward/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/hatred-paralyzes-life-love-releases-it/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Unconditional love will have the final word in reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/unconditional-love-will-have-the-final-word-in-reality/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [There comes a time when one must take the position that is neither safe nor politic nor popular, but he must do it because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/there-comes-a-time-when-one-must-take-the-position-that-is-neither/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Science deals mainly with facts; religion deals mainly with values. The two are not rivals. They are complementary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/science-deals-mainly-with-facts-religion-deals-mainly-with-values-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must come to see that the end we seek is a society at peace with itself, a society that can live with its…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-come-to-see-that-the-end-we-seek-is-a-society-at-peace-with/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What are you doing for others?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-are-you-doing-for-others/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Hate multiplies hate, violence multiplies violence, and toughness multiplies toughness in a descending spiral of destruction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/hate-multiplies-hate-violence-multiplies-violence-and-toughness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [ They \[zealots\] would have everybody be as blind as themselves: to them, to be clear-sighted is libertinism. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/moliere/they-zealots-would-have-everybody-be-as-blind-as-themselves-to-them/) [Moliere](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/moliere/) > [To make a small town achieve its potential, you need everybody. When a blind person carries a crippled person who can see, both of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unita-blackwell/to-make-a-small-town-achieve-its-potential-you-need-everybody-when-a/) [Unita Blackwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unita-blackwell/) ## More by Martin Luther King, Jr > [The strong man holds in a living blend strongly marked opposites.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-strong-man-holds-in-a-living-blend-strongly-marked-opposites/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Our nation was born in genocide when it embraced the doctrine that the original American, the Indian, was an inferior race. ... We are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/our-nation-was-born-in-genocide-when-it-embraced-the-doctrine-that/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somewhere somebody must have some sense. Men must see that force begets force, hate begets hate, toughness begets toughness. And it is all a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somewhere-somebody-must-have-some-sense-men-must-see-that-force/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Every genuine expression of love grows out of a consistent and total surrender to God.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/every-genuine-expression-of-love-grows-out-of-a-consistent-and-total/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [We must remember that intelligence is not enough. Intelligence plus character--that is the goal of true education. The complete education gives one not only…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/we-must-remember-that-intelligence-is-not-enough-intelligence-plus/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I’ve been to the Mountaintop](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-ve-been-to-the-mountaintop/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The supreme task is to organize and unite people so that their anger becomes a transforming force.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-supreme-task-is-to-organize-and-unite-people-so-that-their-anger/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The great issue of life is to harness the drum major instinct.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-great-issue-of-life-is-to-harness-the-drum-major-instinct/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Somebody must have sense enough and morality enough to cut off the chain of hate and the chain of evil in the universe. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/somebody-must-have-sense-enough-and-morality-enough-to-cut-off-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Darkness is only driven out with light, not more darkness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/darkness-is-only-driven-out-with-light-not-more-darkness/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [What seems so necessary today may not even be desirable tomorrow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/what-seems-so-necessary-today-may-not-even-be-desirable-tomorrow/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The Negro cannot win the respect of his oppressor by acquiescing; he merely increases the oppressor's arrogance and contempt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-negro-cannot-win-the-respect-of-his-oppressor-by-acquiescing-he/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [The majority of the Negroes who took part in the year-long boycott of Montgomery's buses were poor and untutored; but they understood the essence…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/the-majority-of-the-negroes-who-took-part-in-the-year-long-boycott-of/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [Whenever you are engaged in work that serves humanity and is for the building of humanity, it has dignity and it has worth,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/whenever-you-are-engaged-in-work-that-serves-humanity-and-is-for-the/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) > [I have a dream that one day even the state of Mississippi, a desert state, sweltering with the heat of injustice and oppression, will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/i-have-a-dream-that-one-day-even-the-state-of-mississippi-a-desert/) [Martin Luther King, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) [Explore all 1,210 Martin Luther King, Jr quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/) ## More Best revenge quotes > [The best revenge in the world is success.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suge-knight/the-best-revenge-in-the-world-is-success/) [Suge Knight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suge-knight/) > [The best revenge is to be unlike him who performed the injury.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcus-aurelius/the-best-revenge-is-to-be-unlike-him-who-performed-the-injury/) [Marcus Aurelius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcus-aurelius/) > [But I believed in starting over. There was finally, I knew, only rupture and hurt and falling short between all persons, but, Shirley, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lorrie-moore/but-i-believed-in-starting-over-there-was-finally-i-knew-only-rupture/) [Lorrie Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lorrie-moore/) > [Law 36: Disdain things you cannot have: Ignoring them is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-48-laws-of-power/law-36-disdain-things-you-cannot-have-ignoring-them-is-the-best/) [The 48 Laws Of Power](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-48-laws-of-power/) > [“Living well is the best revenge (Margot Radcliffe)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/living-well-is-the-best-revenge-margot-radcliffe/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being happy is the best revenge for your life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-happy-is-the-best-revenge-for-your-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best revenge you could ever get on that person who broke your heart is to let them see you're still fine and live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/the-best-revenge-you-could-ever-get-on-that-person-who-broke-your/) [Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/) > [Forgiveness is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/forgiveness-is-the-best-revenge/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [“That's the best revenge of all: happiness. Nothing drives people crazier than seeing someone having a good fucking laugh.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuck-palahniuk/that-s-the-best-revenge-of-all-happiness-nothing-drives-people/) [Chuck Palahniuk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuck-palahniuk/) > [Success is the best revenge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/success-is-the-best-revenge/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The best revenge is to look good. Always dress like you're going to see your worst enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-revenge-is-to-look-good-always-dress-like-you-re-going-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“However, you should know I disagree with a lot of traditional advice. For instance, they say the best revenge is living well. I say…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mindy-kaling/however-you-should-know-i-disagree-with-a-lot-of-traditional-advice/) [Mindy Kaling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mindy-kaling/) > [The best revenge is to always survive yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-rollins/the-best-revenge-is-to-always-survive-yourself/) [Henry Rollins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-rollins/) > [The best revenge is, of course, a good life. Enjoy yourself, be happy, be successful. It'll drive them crazy-or you can imagine it does.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-james/the-best-revenge-is-of-course-a-good-life-enjoy-yourself-be-happy-be/) [Jennifer James](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-james/) > [The best revenge is living a successful life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-best-revenge-is-living-a-successful-life/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 171 Best revenge quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/best-revenge/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Martin Luther King, Jr" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Best revenge" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/27f/martin-luther-king-jr-127_best-revenge_an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind_2285102.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“An eye for an eye leaves everybody blind.” — Martin Luther King, Jr", "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": "Martin Luther King, Jr", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-luther-king-jr/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "An eye for an eye leaves...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-luther-king-jr/an-eye-for-an-eye-leaves-everybody-blind/#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 } } ] } ```