---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught…"
description: "\"“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.”\" — Stephen King"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg"
---

#  Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of…

![“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.” quote by Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg)

> ““Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.””

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## About This Quote

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

People often hide truths to fulfill obligations, while adversaries may be more honest.

**In simple terms:** Friends hide truth, enemies speak it.

Key Takeaway

Recognize bias in relationships.

Themes

trust honesty duty

Mood

reflective critical

Type

literary insightful

When to use this quote

- personal relationships
- workplace
- politics
- conflict resolution

Key Concepts

social dynamics psychology

Questions to Reflect On

- Why do we trust enemies?
- When does duty justify deception?

A Different Perspective

Honesty from enemies can be self‑serving or manipulative.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friends And Love](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friends-and-love/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Speak the truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/speak-the-truth/) [Truth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/truth/)

## Related quotes

> [Only enemies speak the truth; friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/only-enemies-speak-the-truth-friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of regard.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught-in-the-web-of-regard/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Only equals speak the truth, that’s my thought on’t. Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of regard. How tiresome!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/only-equals-speak-the-truth-that-s-my-thought-on-t-friends-and-lovers/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Only enemies tell the truth, friends and lovers lie endlessly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/only-enemies-tell-the-truth-friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly/)

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

> [“Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals? There is an offer you will get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as-2/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The man in black smiled. "Shall we tell the truth then, you and I? No more lies?" I thought we had been." But the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-man-in-black-smiled-shall-we-tell-the-truth-then-you-and-i-no/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [True liars never love, and true lovers never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nishan-panwar/true-liars-never-love-and-true-lovers-never-lie/)

[Nishan Panwar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nishan-panwar/)

> [Great lovers lie in Hell, the stubborn ones Infatuate of the flesh upon the bones; Stuprate, they rend each other when they kiss, The…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-crowe-ransom/great-lovers-lie-in-hell-the-stubborn-ones-infatuate-of-the-flesh/)

[John Crowe Ransom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-crowe-ransom/)

> [Lovers lie around in itBroken glass is found in itGrassI like that stuff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adrian-mitchell/lovers-lie-around-in-itbroken-glass-is-found-in-itgrassi-like-that/)

[Adrian Mitchell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adrian-mitchell/)

> [True liars never love. True lovers never lie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffree-star/true-liars-never-love-true-lovers-never-lie/)

[Jeffree Star](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffree-star/)

> [“You are successful in my book if you do what you love for a living; you do not owe money to anyone; you have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-taskinsoy/you-are-successful-in-my-book-if-you-do-what-you-love-for-a-living/)

[JOHN TASKINSOY](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-taskinsoy/)

> [Friends and lover are a blessing from almighty God and a faithful friend/lover is worth more than gold. What can be a better time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leodonessiony/friends-and-lover-are-a-blessing-from-almighty-god-and-a-faithful/)

[Leodonessiony](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leodonessiony/)

> [“Committing suicide essentially said to friends and loved ones and the world at large that you were the only thing that mattered, that your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-warren/committing-suicide-essentially-said-to-friends-and-loved-ones-and-the/)

[Christine Warren](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-warren/)

> [“This is your life. This is yours. You can establish an exact inventory of your meager fortune, the precise balance sheet of your first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-perec/this-is-your-life-this-is-yours-you-can-establish-an-exact-inventory/)

[Georges Perec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-perec/)

> [When I was given choice between friends and love. I will choose my best friend than love, because love always make me hurt...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-i-was-given-choice-between-friends-and-love-i-will-choose-my/)

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

## More by Stephen King

> [Shall there be truth between us, as two men? Not as friends, but as enemies and equals?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/shall-there-be-truth-between-us-as-two-men-not-as-friends-but-as/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The worst advice? 'Don't listen to the critics.' I think that you really ought to listen to the critics, because sometimes they're telling you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-worst-advice-don-t-listen-to-the-critics-i-think-that-you-really/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“October 3, 2017 The clown, Hagarty said, looked like a cross between Ronald McDonald and that old TV clown, Bozo—or so he thought at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/october-3-2017-the-clown-hagarty-said-looked-like-a-cross-between/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Eddie saw great things and near misses. Albert Einstein as a child, not quite struck by a run-away milk-wagon as he crossed a street.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/eddie-saw-great-things-and-near-misses-albert-einstein-as-a-child-not/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [It hurt, of course, but more often than not the best things do, I've found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/it-hurt-of-course-but-more-often-than-not-the-best-things-do-i-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The idea that creative endeavor and mind-altering substances are entwined is one of the great pop-intellectual myths of our time... Creative people probably do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-idea-that-creative-endeavor-and-mind-altering-substances-are/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“God, you had enough time to have been through it three times. You've been through my stuff. I bet you over and let one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/god-you-had-enough-time-to-have-been-through-it-three-times-you-ve/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Flakes of snow swirled and danced across the porch. The Overlook faced it as it had for nearly three-quarters of a century, its darkened…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/flakes-of-snow-swirled-and-danced-across-the-porch-the-overlook-faced/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“In that instant it all seemed to come clear to him- it came in a grisly flash of light, and he realized that the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/in-that-instant-it-all-seemed-to-come-clear-to-him-it-came-in-a/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Who gets to be best-liked in any community? Who is the most trusted? Why, the man who does the dirty job, of course, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/who-gets-to-be-best-liked-in-any-community-who-is-the-most-trusted/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“¿Lo ves, tonto? Volvió a regañarse. Tú lo inventaste todo, gato asustado. No fue más que tu imaginación, gato asustado, gato asustado... No te…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/lo-ves-tonto-volvi-a-rega-arse-t-lo-inventaste-todo-gato-asustado-no/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Death . . . but not for you. That was what Walter, clever as Satan even at the end, had said. A lawyer’s answer . . . so close to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/death-but-not-for-you-that-was-what-walter-clever-as-satan-even-at/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [The ghost story movie that scared me the most was The Changeling with George C. Scott. I think that's sometimes overlooked, but it's a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-ghost-story-movie-that-scared-me-the-most-was-the-changeling-with/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [“Climb aboard, Jonesy. I'm going to send you up where the air is rare and the view is much more than fair.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/climb-aboard-jonesy-i-m-going-to-send-you-up-where-the-air-is-rare/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

[Explore all 3,589 Stephen King quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

## More Friendship quotes

> [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/)

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

> [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/)

Maureen Andeson

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/)

Unknwon

> [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/)

[Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/)

> [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/)

Unknow

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. 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/)

> [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/)

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

> [“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/)

> [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/)

[Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [“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/)

[Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.”",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Stephen King"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught-in-the-web-of-duty-only/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friendship"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught-in-the-web-of-duty-only/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/6d2/stephen-king-13_friendship_friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught_1141173.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught in the web of duty. Only enemies speak the truth.” — Stephen King",
                "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": "Stephen King",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "“Friends and lovers lie endlessly, caught...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught-in-the-web-of-duty-only/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/friends-and-lovers-lie-endlessly-caught-in-the-web-of-duty-only/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
