---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Don’t play with damaged goods, you will…"
description: "\"“Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.”\" — Osayi Osar-Emokpae"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg"
---

#  Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.

![“Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.” quote by Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg)

> ““Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.””

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Engaging with broken or harmful things leads to self‑injury; avoid them.

**In simple terms:** Don’t use damaged items.

Key Takeaway

Steer clear of harmful situations.

Themes

self‑care risk management boundaries

Mood

cautious reflective

Type

warning advice

When to use this quote

- using faulty equipment
- maintaining relationships
- handling toxic environments

Key Concepts

danger awareness self‑preservation healthy choices

Questions to Reflect On

- How can you protect yourself when avoidance isn’t possible?
- What alternatives exist to the damaged item?

A Different Perspective

Sometimes “damaged goods” are unavoidable.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Breakup](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup/) [Damaged goods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/damaged-goods/) [Relationship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/relationship/)

## Related quotes

> [I play damaged people a lot. I'm a Cancer. And I say that tongue and cheek, but I wear my heart on my sleeve.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilarie-burton/i-play-damaged-people-a-lot-i-m-a-cancer-and-i-say-that-tongue-and/)

[Hilarie Burton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilarie-burton/)

> [“Often, our misunderstandings about love are born in disruptive family relationships, where someone was either one-up or one-down to an extreme. There is an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-clinton/often-our-misunderstandings-about-love-are-born-in-disruptive-family/)

Tim Clinton

> [I would just say there is one misperception of our veterans, and that is they are somehow damaged goods. I don't buy it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-mattis/i-would-just-say-there-is-one-misperception-of-our-veterans-and-that/)

[Jim Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-mattis/)

> [“She was damaged goods. Spoiled meat.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/v-theia/she-was-damaged-goods-spoiled-meat/)

[V. Theia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/v-theia/)

> [We are all damaged goods in recovery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-spurgeon/we-are-all-damaged-goods-in-recovery/)

[Charles Spurgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-spurgeon/)

> [“You need to keep hurting until you realise you never needed to hurt in the first place.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kamand-kojouri/you-need-to-keep-hurting-until-you-realise-you-never-needed-to-hurt/)

[Kamand Kojouri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kamand-kojouri/)

> [The Real You isn't damaged goods. The Real You is the light of the universe.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-real-you-isn-t-damaged-goods-the-real-you-is-the-light-of-the/)

[Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/)

> [“Perhaps I won’t tire of her,” Gray protested, just to be contrary. Because, apparently, that was how brothers behaved. “Perhaps a dolphin will fly…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessa-dare/perhaps-i-won-t-tire-of-her-gray-protested-just-to-be-contrary/)

[Tessa Dare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessa-dare/)

> [Those damaged goods you see In your reflection Love sees them differently Love sees perfection A beautiful display Of healing on the way tonight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-copeland/those-damaged-goods-you-see-in-your-reflection-love-sees-them/)

[Rachel Copeland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-copeland/)

> [The bodies lay on the ground like damaged goods from a warehouse.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-goldman/the-bodies-lay-on-the-ground-like-damaged-goods-from-a-warehouse/)

Peter Goldman

> [“We're only lucky enough to see the wonders of nature's canyons because they're gracious enough to show us the places they've been damaged.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/curtis-tyrone-jones/we-re-only-lucky-enough-to-see-the-wonders-of-nature-s-canyons/)

[Curtis Tyrone Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/curtis-tyrone-jones/)

> [You've been told that you're broken. That you're damaged goods ... there is also Post-Traumatic Growth. You come back from war stronger and more…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-mattis/you-ve-been-told-that-you-re-broken-that-you-re-damaged-goods-there/)

[James Mattis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-mattis/)

> [Dear Nintendo, We need a new Mario game, where you rescue the princess in the first ten minutes, and for the rest of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joey-comeau/dear-nintendo-we-need-a-new-mario-game-where-you-rescue-the-princess/)

[Joey Comeau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joey-comeau/)

> [“As specimens go, they always get excited about me. I'm a good one. A show-stopper. I'm the kind of kid they'll still enquire about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenni-fagan/as-specimens-go-they-always-get-excited-about-me-i-m-a-good-one-a/)

[Jenni Fagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenni-fagan/)

> [“I have more baggage than baggage claim. I'm damaged goods. I'm not good at...” she released him for a moment and fingered between the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-b-mcgee/i-have-more-baggage-than-baggage-claim-i-m-damaged-goods-i-m-not-good/)

[J.B. McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-b-mcgee/)

## More by Osayi Osar-Emokpae

> [“We spend a lot of time trying to get more and more things, not realizing that those things can never fulfill us. Learn from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/we-spend-a-lot-of-time-trying-to-get-more-and-more-things-not/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Some of the most beautiful and rewarding relationships come from mutual respect that eventually burned into fervent passion. Don’t take for granted the friendship…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/some-of-the-most-beautiful-and-rewarding-relationships-come-from/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“There will be times when it seems that it would be best to just call him and see how he’s doing. Don’t deceive yourself,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/there-will-be-times-when-it-seems-that-it-would-be-best-to-just-call/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“There's a difference between waiting with patient expectation, and waiting because you never know what God will do. If you don't know how God…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/there-s-a-difference-between-waiting-with-patient-expectation-and/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“When was the last time you had a good belly-shaking-tear-jerking-snot-producing laugh? That long?”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/when-was-the-last-time-you-had-a-good-belly-shaking-tear-jerking-snot/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Let us crush these so-called biological clocks that give us nothing but fear, and encourage us to make stupid decisions. Let us crush these…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/let-us-crush-these-so-called-biological-clocks-that-give-us-nothing/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Whatever it is you are really desiring, give it away. If it's companionship, give it to someone else, and just listen to them and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/whatever-it-is-you-are-really-desiring-give-it-away-if-it-s/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“The truth is women need men, we are neither superior nor inferior to men. We are better at some things and worse at other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/the-truth-is-women-need-men-we-are-neither-superior-nor-inferior-to/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Often times you may find yourself in a relationship with a guy who looks like he is a mature adult, but then you find…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/often-times-you-may-find-yourself-in-a-relationship-with-a-guy-who/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“And don't tell me debt is not a big deal. Debt will cut off your legs and laugh at you as you grovel in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/and-don-t-tell-me-debt-is-not-a-big-deal-debt-will-cut-off-your-legs/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“When you go through a breakup, it feels like someone died. And the truth is that someone has died – the relationship.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/when-you-go-through-a-breakup-it-feels-like-someone-died-and-the/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Sometimes you have to deprive someone of the pleasure of being with you so that they can realize how much they need you in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/sometimes-you-have-to-deprive-someone-of-the-pleasure-of-being-with/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“If someone's life is not enriched by their time with you, then you're not doing something right.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/if-someone-s-life-is-not-enriched-by-their-time-with-you-then-you-re/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“Only boring people are bored in relationships.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/only-boring-people-are-bored-in-relationships/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

> [“You may eventually decide to breakup, and that’s fine, because headaches are not cute, but at least you know you tried.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/you-may-eventually-decide-to-breakup-and-that-s-fine-because/)

[Osayi Osar-Emokpae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

[Explore all 26 Osayi Osar-Emokpae quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/)

## More Breakup quotes

> [After a bad relationship and you think life is over when its far from, pick your self up and show the person who let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mccarty/after-a-bad-relationship-and-you-think-life-is-over-when-its-far-from/)

[Kevin McCarty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mccarty/)

> [ \[attempts to save the relationship on the phone but said the wrong word while talking\] It didn't come out right, but I wasn't in… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paritoshik-sharma/attempts-to-save-the-relationship-on-the-phone-but-said-the-wrong/)

[Paritoshik Sharma](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paritoshik-sharma/)

> [If you leave someone for another person, don't be surprised if that person leaves you for someone else.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-leave-someone-for-another-person-don-t-be-surprised-if-that/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It's fucking terrifying that no matter how many promises they made, no matter how long you've been together, someone can get up & walk…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larissa-derrah/it-s-fucking-terrifying-that-no-matter-how-many-promises-they-made-no/)

Larissa Derrah

> [If it's too hard, walk away. There are a million other people out there who won't make you feel bad!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-it-s-too-hard-walk-away-there-are-a-million-other-people-out-there/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [Learning to trust is hard for many people, especially those who have been through bad break ups and who have experienced heartache from situations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/learning-to-trust-is-hard-for-many-people-especially-those-who-have/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [It changes you a little bit every time you either break someone's heart or get your heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amanda-seyfried/it-changes-you-a-little-bit-every-time-you-either-break-someone-s/)

[Amanda Seyfried](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amanda-seyfried/)

> [“Dry your eyes mate, I know you want to make her see how much this pain hurts, but you’ve got to walk away now,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-skinner/dry-your-eyes-mate-i-know-you-want-to-make-her-see-how-much-this-pain/)

[Mike Skinner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-skinner/)

> [You see, at the beginning we weren't fighters. We weren't yellers or throwers, even if we eventually came to be. It would take time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dinaw-mengestu/you-see-at-the-beginning-we-weren-t-fighters-we-weren-t-yellers-or/)

[Dinaw Mengestu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dinaw-mengestu/)

> [The pain experienced during a breakup is as individual as the millions of people who go through it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tigress-luv/the-pain-experienced-during-a-breakup-is-as-individual-as-the/)

Tigress Luv

> [Wishing you knew.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/wishing-you-knew/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“Feeling addicted to an ex makes letting them go excruciatingly hard even when you rationally want to move on.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dr-cortney-warren/feeling-addicted-to-an-ex-makes-letting-them-go-excruciatingly-hard/)

Dr. Cortney Warren

> [I take a step back, and let you go. I told you I'm not bulletproof; Now you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-swift/i-take-a-step-back-and-let-you-go-i-told-you-i-m-not-bulletproof-now/)

[Taylor Swift](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-swift/)

> [Break ups are painful, but if initiated at the right time can fuel one's sense of optimism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dov-davidoff/break-ups-are-painful-but-if-initiated-at-the-right-time-can-fuel-one/)

[Dov Davidoff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dov-davidoff/)

> [If they walk out of your life they're telling you to move on because they're not in love with you. It hurts, but you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/if-they-walk-out-of-your-life-they-re-telling-you-to-move-on-because/)

[SONYA PARKER](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/)

[Browse all 1,846 Breakup quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breakup/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Osayi Osar-Emokpae"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-only-hurt-yourself/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Breakup"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-only-hurt-yourself/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bfe/osayi-osar-emokpae-23255_breakup_don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-o_302856.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Don’t play with damaged goods, you will only hurt yourself.” — Osayi Osar-Emokpae",
                "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": "Osayi Osar-Emokpae",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/osayi-osar-emokpae/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Don’t play with damaged goods, you...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-only-hurt-yourself/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/osayi-osar-emokpae/don-t-play-with-damaged-goods-you-will-only-hurt-yourself/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```