---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The private wound is deepest. O time most…"
description: "\"The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!\" — William Shakespeare"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg"
---

#  The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst…

![“The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!” quote by William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg)

> “The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!”

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## About This Quote

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

Deep emotional pain often comes from those we trust most, making betrayal feel especially harsh.

**In simple terms:** Betrayal hurts deepest when from a friend.

Key Takeaway

Guard against trusting blindly.

Themes

trust betrayal emotions

Mood

sad reflective

Type

philosophical emotional

When to use this quote

- friendship
- conflict
- personal loss

Key Concepts

psychology human relationships

Questions to Reflect On

- How do you protect yourself while staying open?
- Can forgiveness heal such wounds?

A Different Perspective

Even close friends can become sources of pain.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Foe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foe/) [Foes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foes/) [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Wounds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wounds/)

## Related quotes

> [“Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shakespeare-william/mongst-all-foes-that-a-friend-should-be-the-worst/)

[Shakespeare, William](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shakespeare-william/)

> [The deepest healing is the healing of the deepest wound. The deepest wound is the frustration of the deepest need. The deepest need is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-kreeft/the-deepest-healing-is-the-healing-of-the-deepest-wound-the-deepest/)

[Peter Kreeft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-kreeft/)

> [“We crave connection, yet those we love most can wound us deepest.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antonieta-contreras/we-crave-connection-yet-those-we-love-most-can-wound-us-deepest/)

Antonieta Contreras

> [Make foes of bowmen if you must, Never of penmen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/make-foes-of-bowmen-if-you-must-never-of-penmen/)

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

> [One would like to know, what were foes made for except to be used?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/herman-melville/one-would-like-to-know-what-were-foes-made-for-except-to-be-used/)

[Herman Melville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/herman-melville/)

> [You will have many enemies, but even your foes will love you. Life will bring you many misfortunes, but you will find your happiness…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-will-have-many-enemies-but-even-your-foes-will-love-you-life-will/)

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

> [The foes from whom we pray to be delivered are our own passions, appetites, and follies; and against these there is always need that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theodore-roosevelt/the-foes-from-whom-we-pray-to-be-delivered-are-our-own-passions/)

[Theodore Roosevelt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theodore-roosevelt/)

> [An enemy forgiven is more dangerous than a thousand foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rodolfo-graziani/an-enemy-forgiven-is-more-dangerous-than-a-thousand-foes/)

Rodolfo Graziani

> [For plague and pestilence, plunder and pollution, the hazards of nature and the hunger of children are the foes of every nation. The earth,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kennedy/for-plague-and-pestilence-plunder-and-pollution-the-hazards-of-nature/)

[John F. Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kennedy/)

> [Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-keep-your-foes-confused-if-they-are-never-certain-who-you-are-2/)

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

> [“As long as all that is said is said against me, I feel a certain sublime assurance of success, but as soon as honied…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ralph-waldo-emerson/as-long-as-all-that-is-said-is-said-against-me-i-feel-a-certain/)

[Ralph Waldo Emerson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ralph-waldo-emerson/)

> [Are we friends? or are we foes? ... That kind of thing... You decide... For yourselves!!!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eiichiro-oda/are-we-friends-or-are-we-foes-that-kind-of-thing-you-decide-for/)

[Eiichiro Oda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eiichiro-oda/)

> [The foes now are universal - poverty, famine, religious radicalization, desertification, drugs, proliferation of nuclear weapons, ecological devastation. They threaten all nations, just as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shimon-peres/the-foes-now-are-universal-poverty-famine-religious-radicalization/)

[Shimon Peres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shimon-peres/)

> [Fire, fear, foes! Awake!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fire-fear-foes-awake/)

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

> [Always keep your foes confused. If they are never certain who you are or what you want, they cannot know what you are like…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/always-keep-your-foes-confused-if-they-are-never-certain-who-you-are/)

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

## More by William Shakespeare

> [Let us kill all lawyers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/let-us-kill-all-lawyers/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/a-horse-a-horse-my-kingdom-for-a-horse/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [O tiger's heart wrapped in a woman's hide!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/o-tiger-s-heart-wrapped-in-a-woman-s-hide/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Divers philosophers hold that the lips is parcel of the mouth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/divers-philosophers-hold-that-the-lips-is-parcel-of-the-mouth/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Short time seems long in sorrow's sharp sustaining.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/short-time-seems-long-in-sorrow-s-sharp-sustaining/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Love is a smoke made with the fume of sighs; Being purg'd, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; Being vex'd, a sea nourish'd with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/love-is-a-smoke-made-with-the-fume-of-sighs-being-purg-d-a-fire/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I, measuring his affections by my own, Which then most sought where most might not be found, Being one too many by my weary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-measuring-his-affections-by-my-own-which-then-most-sought-where/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Ask God for temp'rance. That's th' appliance only Which your disease requires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/ask-god-for-temp-rance-that-s-th-appliance-only-which-your-disease/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Thou hast no figures nor no fantasies Which busy care draws in the brains of men; Therefore thou sleep’st so sound. Julius Caesar (2.1.248-251)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/thou-hast-no-figures-nor-no-fantasies-which-busy-care-draws-in-the/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Truth needs no color; beauty, no pencil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/truth-needs-no-color-beauty-no-pencil/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Have you not heard it said full oft, A woman's nay doth stand for naught?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/have-you-not-heard-it-said-full-oft-a-woman-s-nay-doth-stand-for/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [Omittance is no quittance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/omittance-is-no-quittance/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [“Yes, madam: yet I cannot choose but laugh, To think it should leave crying and say 'Ay.' And yet, I warrant, it had upon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/yes-madam-yet-i-cannot-choose-but-laugh-to-think-it-should-leave/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

> [I take thee at thy word: Call me but love, and I'll be new baptized; Henceforth I never will be Romeo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/i-take-thee-at-thy-word-call-me-but-love-and-i-ll-be-new-baptized/)

[William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

[Explore all 5,604 William Shakespeare quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/)

## More Foe quotes

> [No greater victory can be won by citizens or soldiers than to transform temporary foes into permanent friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-jennings-bryan/no-greater-victory-can-be-won-by-citizens-or-soldiers-than-to/)

[William Jennings Bryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-jennings-bryan/)

> [There is no occasion for our rejoicing at a foe's death, because our own life will also not last forever.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-vaughan/there-is-no-occasion-for-our-rejoicing-at-a-foe-s-death-because-our/)

[Bill Vaughan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-vaughan/)

> [There is a destiny in war, to which a brave man knows how to submit with the same courage that he faces his foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-f-cooper/there-is-a-destiny-in-war-to-which-a-brave-man-knows-how-to-submit/)

[James F. Cooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-f-cooper/)

> [Our particular principles of religion are a subject of accountability to our god alone. I enquire after no man's and trouble none with mine;…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-jefferson/our-particular-principles-of-religion-are-a-subject-of-accountability/)

[Thomas Jefferson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-jefferson/)

> [Ye shall only have foes to be hated; but not foes to be despised: ye must be proud of your foes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/friedrich-nietzsche/ye-shall-only-have-foes-to-be-hated-but-not-foes-to-be-despised-ye/)

[Friedrich Nietzsche](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/friedrich-nietzsche/)

> [If our inward griefs were written on our brows, how many who are envied now would be pitied. It would seem that they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pietro-metastasio/if-our-inward-griefs-were-written-on-our-brows-how-many-who-are/)

[Pietro Metastasio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pietro-metastasio/)

> [Who then will dare to say I'm weak or timid? No, they'll say I'm loyal as a friend, ruthless as a foe, so much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/euripides/who-then-will-dare-to-say-i-m-weak-or-timid-no-they-ll-say-i-m-loyal/)

[Euripides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/euripides/)

> [During his presidency, Truman and the Republicans were locked in a series of furious assaults on each other that outraged him and made Truman…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/during-his-presidency-truman-and-the-republicans-were-locked-in-a/)

[Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/)

> [THE POISON TREE I was angry with my friend: I told my wrath, my wrath did end. I was angry with my foe; I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-blake/the-poison-tree-i-was-angry-with-my-friend-i-told-my-wrath-my-wrath/)

[William Blake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-blake/)

> [“A good enemy can be better than the best of friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simona-panova/a-good-enemy-can-be-better-than-the-best-of-friend/)

[Simona Panova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simona-panova/)

> [I have not the particular shining bauble or feather in my cap for crowds to gaze at or kneel to, but I have power…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oliver-cromwell/i-have-not-the-particular-shining-bauble-or-feather-in-my-cap-for/)

[Oliver Cromwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oliver-cromwell/)

> [Under the Mountain dark and tall The King has come unto his hall! His foe is dead, the Worm of Dread, And ever so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/under-the-mountain-dark-and-tall-the-king-has-come-unto-his-hall-his/)

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

> [The downfall of civilized states tends to come not from the direct assaults of foes, but from internal decay combined with the consequences of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/b-h-liddell-hart/the-downfall-of-civilized-states-tends-to-come-not-from-the-direct/)

[B. H. Liddell Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/b-h-liddell-hart/)

> [The tree can teach you forbearance and tolerance. It offers shade to all, irrespective of age, sex or religion, nationality or status. It helps…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-tree-can-teach-you-forbearance-and-tolerance-it-offers-shade-to/)

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

> [Bring war material with you from home, but forage on the enemy... use the conquered foe to augment one's own strength.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sun-tzu/bring-war-material-with-you-from-home-but-forage-on-the-enemy-use-the/)

[Sun Tzu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sun-tzu/)

[Browse all 482 Foe quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/foe/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "William Shakespeare"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most-accurst-mongst-all-foes-that/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Foe"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most-accurst-mongst-all-foes-that/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a80/william-shakespeare-4_foe_the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most_135681.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“The private wound is deepest. O time most accurst, 'Mongst all foes that a friend should be the worst!” — William Shakespeare",
                "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": "William Shakespeare",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "The private wound is deepest. O...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most-accurst-mongst-all-foes-that/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/the-private-wound-is-deepest-o-time-most-accurst-mongst-all-foes-that/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
