--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Only fools wait when their enemies are…" description: "\"Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends.\" — Philippa Gregory" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png" --- # Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if… ![“Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends.” quote by Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png) > “Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends.” [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Waiting for enemies to become friends is foolish; action is needed before trust forms. **In simple terms:** Waiting for enemies to become friends is risky. Key Takeaway Act decisively, don’t delay. Themes trust enemies action strategy Mood tense strategic Type political philosophical When to use this quote - political intrigue - personal conflicts - business negotiations Key Concepts risk of inaction foreshadowing Questions to Reflect On - When is patience wise? - What risks arise from premature trust? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemies Coming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies-coming-2176585/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) [Fool](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fool/) [Fools Wait](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fools-wait-1136966/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [May](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/may/) [Prove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove/) [Prove Friends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prove-friends-2176587/) [Wait Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wait-enemies-2176586/) [Waiting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/waiting/) ## Related quotes > [I say to our enemies: We are coming. God may have mercy on you, but we won't](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-mccain/i-say-to-our-enemies-we-are-coming-god-may-have-mercy-on-you-but-we/) [John McCain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-mccain/) > [Fools wait for a lucky day, but everyday is a lucky day for an industrious man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gautama-buddha/fools-wait-for-a-lucky-day-but-everyday-is-a-lucky-day-for-an/) [Gautama Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gautama-buddha/) > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [“Anyone who is portraying Israel as a friend is a servant of Israel. I warn some sides against turning enemies into friends and friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/anyone-who-is-portraying-israel-as-a-friend-is-a-servant-of-israel-i/) [Sayed Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [When a husband brings his wife flowers for no reason, there's a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcgee/when-a-husband-brings-his-wife-flowers-for-no-reason-there-s-a-reason/) [Molly McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcgee/) > [Sometimes even paranoids have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/sometimes-even-paranoids-have-enemies/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Your greatest weapon is your enemies mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/your-greatest-weapon-is-your-enemies-mind/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [“If it takes night to make day, pain to know pleasure, black to make white, then doesn't it stand to reason that the depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snyder/if-it-takes-night-to-make-day-pain-to-know-pleasure-black-to-make/) [Michael Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snyder/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) ## More by Philippa Gregory > [“Mother, before God," I say, my voice shaking with tears, "I swear that I have to believe that there is more for me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/mother-before-god-i-say-my-voice-shaking-with-tears-i-swear-that-i/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“Say yes,’ he whispers. ‘Marry me.’ I hesitate. I open my eyes. ‘You will get my fortune,’ I remark. ‘When I marry you, everything…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/say-yes-he-whispers-marry-me-i-hesitate-i-open-my-eyes-you-will-get/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“But I warn you that a woman who seeks great power and wealth has to pay a great price, Perhaps you will be a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/but-i-warn-you-that-a-woman-who-seeks-great-power-and-wealth-has-to/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I raised my hand to wave in case he looked back; but he did not. He rode straight backed, looking forward. He rode like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-raised-my-hand-to-wave-in-case-he-looked-back-but-he-did-not-he/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“When you are still and thoughtful you are as lovely as the statues they are carving in Italy.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/when-you-are-still-and-thoughtful-you-are-as-lovely-as-the-statues/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [Edward lives as if there is no tomorrow, Richard as if he wants no tomorrow, and George as though someone should give it to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/edward-lives-as-if-there-is-no-tomorrow-richard-as-if-he-wants-no/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [You can smile when your heart is breaking because you're a woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-can-smile-when-your-heart-is-breaking-because-you-re-a-woman/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [En Ma Fin Est Ma Commencement - In my end is my beginning.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/en-ma-fin-est-ma-commencement-in-my-end-is-my-beginning/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We fell asleep wrapped in each other as if we could not bear to part, even in sleep we could not bear to let…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-fell-asleep-wrapped-in-each-other-as-if-we-could-not-bear-to-part/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“One little boy, and he a bastard,' Anne said thoughtfully. 'One little girl of six, one elderly Queen and a King in the prime…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/one-little-boy-and-he-a-bastard-anne-said-thoughtfully-one-little/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“We have been married little more than a year and already there is a terrible silence around some subjects. We never speak of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/we-have-been-married-little-more-than-a-year-and-already-there-is-a/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“It doesn’t matter if you call it magic or determination. It doesn’t matter if you make a spell or a plot. You have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/it-doesn-t-matter-if-you-call-it-magic-or-determination-it-doesn-t/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“You are my heart. Even if you are a broken heart”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/you-are-my-heart-even-if-you-are-a-broken-heart/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I have overturned the order. Nothing will ever be the same for any woman in this country again.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-have-overturned-the-order-nothing-will-ever-be-the-same-for-any/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) > [“I will make my own future, not predict it. I don’t need a charm to tell me what I hope will happen. I throw…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/i-will-make-my-own-future-not-predict-it-i-don-t-need-a-charm-to-tell/) [Philippa Gregory](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) [Explore all 408 Philippa Gregory quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/) ## More Enemies quotes > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) [A.K. Hasan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-k-hasan/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“If it takes night to make day, pain to know pleasure, black to make white, then doesn't it stand to reason that the depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snyder/if-it-takes-night-to-make-day-pain-to-know-pleasure-black-to-make/) [Michael Snyder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-snyder/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [Your greatest weapon is your enemies mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/your-greatest-weapon-is-your-enemies-mind/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Sometimes even paranoids have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/sometimes-even-paranoids-have-enemies/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [When a husband brings his wife flowers for no reason, there's a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcgee/when-a-husband-brings-his-wife-flowers-for-no-reason-there-s-a-reason/) [Molly McGee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/molly-mcgee/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“Anyone who is portraying Israel as a friend is a servant of Israel. I warn some sides against turning enemies into friends and friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/anyone-who-is-portraying-israel-as-a-friend-is-a-servant-of-israel-i/) [Sayed Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [“Enemies are people who's story you haven't heard, or who's face you haven't seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-butter/enemies-are-people-who-s-story-you-haven-t-heard-or-who-s-face-you/) [Irene Butter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irene-butter/) > [A sweet thing, perspective - a chance to see your enemies so small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/a-sweet-thing-perspective-a-chance-to-see-your-enemies-so-small/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) [Browse all 1,888 Enemies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Philippa Gregory" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-coming-to-see-if-they-may/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-coming-to-see-if-they-may/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f2f/philippa-gregory-674_enemies_only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-c_2629466.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Only fools wait when their enemies are coming, to see if they may prove to be friends.” — Philippa Gregory", "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": "Philippa Gregory", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philippa-gregory/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Only fools wait when their enemies...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-coming-to-see-if-they-may/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philippa-gregory/only-fools-wait-when-their-enemies-are-coming-to-see-if-they-may/#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 } } ] } ```