122 Jealousy Quotes to Set You Free from Its Claws

Have you ever felt jealous of someone despite your best efforts not to? Sometimes, jealousy creeps in during unexpected moments, catching you by surprise. But you can set yourself free from jealousy, and these 122 quotes will help you do just that.

Whether or not we’d like to admit it, we have, at some point, felt envious of other people. We often feel envy when we experience a discontented longing for someone else's advantages.

When we see others' lives to be easier than ours, or their success coming easily to them, the righteous indignation can bubble up despite our best efforts.

And while this feeling of envy is part of being human, it is essential to address it before it grows into jealousy, which is a longer-lasting, more insidious feeling that can sabotage our inner peace. If you’re trying to overcome envy or jealousy, here are 122 quotes to help you move through them and allow you to live more freely.

Mother Teresa's quote: “If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.” | Image: AmoDays

WHAT ARE JEALOUSY AND ENVY?

“Jealousy is all the fun you think they had.” — Erica Jong

“Jealousy is the most dreadfully involuntary of all sins.” — Iris Murdoch

“Jealousy is an ugly emotion, but it tells the truth. You mostly envy those who have what you desire.” — Susan Cain

“Jealousy implies dissatisfaction with what you are.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Jealousy is a keen observer, but looks for all the wrong signs.” — H. L. Mencken

Malcolm X's quote: “Envy blinds men and makes it impossible for them to think clearly.” | Image: AmoDays

“Envy is a declaration of inferiority.” — Napoleon Bonaparte

“You are jealous because you are unaware that everything you need is inside you.” — Peter Deunov

“Negative emotions like loneliness, envy, and guilt have an important role to play in a happy life; they’re big, flashing signs that something needs to change.” — Gretchen Rubin

“Jealousy is the tribute mediocrity pays to genius.” — Fulton J. Sheen

“Envy is pain at the good fortune of others.” — Aristotle

Gore Vidal's quote: “Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.” | Image: AmoDays

“The little “me” is jealous. The true self is content.” — Maxime Lagacé

“It is not love that is blind, but jealousy.” — Lawrence Durrell

“For most of us, envy is the basis of our actions; remove envy and we feel we are lost. All our effort is towards success, and in that there is envy; behind that envy there is fear.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Envy is the central fact of American life.” — Gore Vidal

“Nothing brings on jealousy like laughter.” — Françoise Sagan

Arnold Schwarzenegger's quote: “Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.” | Image: AmoDays

“Envy is the art of counting the other fellow’s blessings instead of your own.” — Harold Coffin

“You can be the moon and still be jealous of the stars.” — Gary Allan

“Envy comes from people’s ignorance of, or lack of belief in, their own gifts.” — Jean Vanier

“The wicked envy and hate; it is their way of admiring.” — Victor Hugo

THE EFFECTS OF JEALOUSY

“Comparison is the thief of joy.” — Theodore Roosevelt

Ralph Waldo Emerson's quote: “Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide.” | Image: AmoDays

“Envy shoots at others and wounds itself.” — English proverb

“Pride, envy, avarice — these are the sparks that have set on fire the hearts of all men.” — Dante Alighieri

“The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.” — Jim Rohn

“Whoever envies another confesses his superiority.” — Samuel Johnson

“To live without comparison is to remove a tremendous burden.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

William Hazlitt's quote: “Envy among other ingredients has a mixture of the love of justice in it. We are angrier at undeserved than at deserved good fortune.” | Image: AmoDays

“Envy of others is always a reflection of something we feel about ourselves.” — Shane Parrish

“It is not greed that drives the world, but envy.” — Warren Buffett

“The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” — Bette Midler

“Man will do many things to get himself loved; he will do all things to get himself envied.” — Mark Twain

“When you criticize someone, see if you are doing it out of envy. Your criticism reveals more about yourself than you realize.” — Haemin Sunim

Shane Parrish's quote: “A little jealousy can be a good thing, for we may be reminded to appreciate what we have.” | Image: AmoDays

“Surrounded by the flames of jealousy, the jealous one winds up, like the scorpion, turning the poisoned sting against himself.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“Noble hearts are neither jealous nor afraid because jealousy spells doubt and fear spells pettiness.” — Honoré de Balzac

“Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more approachable.” — Robert Greene

“People hate those who make them feel their own inferiority.” — Lord Chesterfield

“Jealousy is the only vice that gives no pleasure.” — Patrick Henry

Sophia Loren's quote: "Jealousy is a miserable feeling. It means you aspire to something that you cannot have." | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy in romance is like salt in food. A little can enhance the savor, but too much can spoil the pleasure and, under certain circumstances, can be life-threatening.” — Maya Angelou

“Our envy always lasts longer than the happiness of those we envy.” — François de La Rochefoucauld

“No one can have all he wants, but a man can refrain from wanting what he has not, and cheerfully make the best of a bird in the hand.” — Seneca

“Nothing sharpens sight like envy.” — Thomas Fuller

“As iron is eaten by rust, so are the envious consumed by envy.” — Antisthenes

William Shakespeare's quote: “Oh, what a bitter thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy is the very reverse of understanding, sympathy, and of generous feeling. Never has jealousy added to character and never does it make the individual big and fine.” — Emma Goldman

"Jealousy is a miserable feeling. It means you aspire to something that you cannot have." — Sophia Loren

“A little jealousy can be a good thing, for we may be reminded to appreciate what we have.” — Shane Parrish

“Envy among other ingredients has a mixture of the love of justice in it. We are angrier at undeserved than at deserved good fortune.” — William Hazlitt

“Oh, what a bitter thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes.” — William Shakespeare

Emma Goldman's quote: “Jealousy is the very reverse of understanding, sympathy, and of generous feeling. Never has jealousy added to character, and never does it make the individual big and fine.” | Image: AmoDays

“We experience envy when the quality we feel inferior about threatens our self-concept.” — Shane Parrish

“Envy is ignorance, imitation is suicide.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Everybody pities the weak; jealousy you have to earn.” — Arnold Schwarzenegger

“Every time a friend succeeds, I die a little.” — Gore Vidal

“Envy blinds men and makes it impossible for them to think clearly.” — Malcolm X

Antisthenes's quote: “As iron is eaten by rust, so are the envious consumed by envy.” | Image: AmoDays

“If you find happiness, people may be jealous. Be happy anyway.” — Mother Teresa

HOW TO PREVENT JEALOUSY

“Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not.” — Ann Brashares

“A wise man is content with his lot, whatever it may be, without wishing for what he has not.” — Seneca

“Transform jealousy to admiration, and what you admire will become part of your life.” — Yoko Ono

“Don’t be envious. Be inspired.” — Thibaut

Thomas Fuller's quote: “Nothing sharpens sight like envy.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy is beautiful only on a young and ardent face. After the first wrinkles, trust must return.” — Alfred Capus

“Maybe jealousy and envy would fade if we knew the full story behind success. Maybe we would be less likely to put people on a pedestal.” — James Clear

“Do you want to be that person with all of their reactions, their desires, their family, their happiness level, their outlook on life, and their self-image? If you’re not willing to do a wholesale, 24/7, 100% swap with who that person is, then there’s no point in being jealous.” — Naval Ravikant

“Everyone experiences bouts of jealousy; but the dignified person conceals it, while the vulgar one acts upon it.” — Ibn Taymiyyah

“One of the most powerful lessons in life is to recognize that no one can give you power, and many people don’t want you to have it. You have to find the courage to seize it, own it and hold on!” — Shannon L. Alder

Seneca's quote: “No one can have all he wants, but a man can refrain from wanting what he has not, and cheerfully make the best of a bird in the hand.” | Image: AmoDays

“The best way to avoid envy is to deserve the success you get.” — Aristotle

“Do not overrate what you have received, nor envy others. He who envies others does not obtain peace of mind.” — Buddha

“Keep your attention focused entirely on what is truly your own concern, and be clear that what belongs to others is their business and none of yours.” — Epictetus

“Five enemies of peace inhabit with us — avarice, ambition, envy, anger, and pride; if these were to be banished, we should infallibly enjoy perpetual peace.” — Petrarch

“Afflictive emotions — our jealousy, anger, hatred, fear — can be put to an end. When you realize that these emotions are only temporary, that they always pass on like clouds in the sky, you also realize they can ultimately be abandoned.” — Dalai Lama

Theodore Roosevelt's quote: “Comparison is the thief of joy.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy, an eminently credulous and suspicious passion, allows fancy the greatest possible play. But it does not bestow wit, it banishes all sense.” — Honoré de Balzac

“When you wake up in the morning, tell yourself: The people I deal with today will be meddling, ungrateful, arrogant, dishonest, jealous, and surely… None of them can hurt me. Don’t waste the rest of your time here worrying about other people… It will keep you from doing anything useful. Why do you not rather act than complain?” — Marcus Aurelius

“The truest mark of being born with great qualities is being born without envy.” — François de La Rochefoucauld

“Growth will convert your doubters better than verbal defensiveness. Outgrow your critics in every sense.” — The Stoic Emperor

“When you show yourself to the world and display your talents, you naturally stir all kinds of resentment, envy, and other manifestations of insecurity… you cannot spend your life worrying about the petty feelings of others.” — Robert Greene

English proverb: “Envy shoots at others and wounds itself.” | Image: AmoDays

“The spirit of envy can destroy; it can never build.” — Margaret Thatcher

“Anger, hatred, and jealousy never solve problems, only affection, concern, and respect can do that.” — Dalai Lama

“Never hate jealous people. They are jealous because they think you are better than them.” — Paulo Coelho

“You’re subject to sorrow, fear, jealousy, anger, and inconsistency. That’s the real reason you should admit that you are not wise.” — Marcus Aurelius

Dante Alighieri's quote: “Pride, envy, avarice — these are the sparks that have set on fire the hearts of all men.” | Image: AmoDays

SHORT AND SUCCINT JEALOUSY QUOTES

“You can’t be yourself within jealousy.” — Toba Beta

“Envy creates silent enemies.” — Robert Greene

“Never outshine the master.” — Robert Greene

“Our culture is based on envy.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Envy aims very high.” — Ovid

Jim Rohn's quote: “The few who do are the envy of the many who only watch.” | Image: AmoDays

“It is better to be envied than pitied.” — Herodotus

“There is more self-love than love in jealousy.” — François de La Rochefoucauld

“It’s a completely useless emotion — jealousy. I don’t go there.” — Joy Behar

“Envy is an insult to oneself.” — Yevgeny Yevtushenko

“Envy motivates a lot of people.” — Shia LaBeouf

Samuel Johnson's quote: “Whoever envies another confesses his superiority.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy is an inner consciousness of one’s own inferiority. It is mental cancer.” — B. C. Forbes

“Oh, jealousy! thou magnifier of trifles.” — Johann Christoph Friedrich von Schiller

“Nobody is ever jealous about the process, only the results.” — Regan Jacklin

“Jealousy is the jaundice of the soul.” — John Dryden

“Nothing is as obnoxious as other people’s luck.” — F. Scott Fitzgerald

Jiddu Krishnamurti's quote: “To live without comparison is to remove a tremendous burden.” | Image: AmoDays

“Envy suggests inferiority.” — Wayne Gerard Trotman

“A sign of wealth: no envy, no fear.” — Greg Isenberg

FUNNY JEALOUSY QUOTES

“I envy people who drink – at least they know what to blame everything on.” — Oscar Levant

“If the grass is greener on the other side of the fence, you can bet the water bill is higher.” — Debbie Macomber

“Welcome to the wonderful world of jealousy, he thought. For the price of admission, you get a splitting headache, a nearly irresistible urge to commit murder, and an inferiority complex.” — Yippee. J.R. Ward

Shane Parrish's quote: “Envy of others is always a reflection of something we feel about ourselves.” | Image: AmoDays

“My wife’s jealousy is getting ridiculous. The other day she looked at my calendar and wanted to know who May was.” — Rodney Dangerfield

PROFOUND JEALOUSY QUOTES

“Envy was once considered to be one of the seven deadly sins before it became one of the most admired virtues under its new name, ‘social justice.’” — Thomas Sowell

“Facebook just sounds like a drag. In my day, seeing pictures of people's vacations was considered a punishment.” — Betty White

“We are always trying to become something else. We are always trying to become noble, to become a hero, an example, an ideal; and if we really go behind this urge to become, we will find that there is envy and that behind that envy there is fear, the fear of what one is.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

“Throughout life, from childhood, from school until we die, we are taught to compare ourselves with another; yet when I compare myself with another I am destroying myself.” — Jiddu Krishnamurti

Warren Buffett's quote: “It is not greed that drives the world, but envy.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy — that jumble of secret worship and ostensible aversion.” — Emil Cioran

“Envy, if surrounded on all sides by the brightness of another’s prosperity, like the scorpion confined within a circle of fire, will sting itself to death.” — Charles Caleb Colton

“Envy lurks at the bottom of the human heart like a viper in its hole.” — Honoré de Balzac

“Jealousy can open the blood, it can make black roses.” — Sylvia Plath

Bette Midler's quote: “The worst part of success is trying to find someone who is happy for you.” | Image: AmoDays

“Jealousy is no more than feeling alone against smiling enemies.” — Elizabeth Bowen

“Now think of the things which goad man into destroying man: they are hope, envy, hatred, fear, and contempt.” — Marcus Aurelius

“Yet he was jealous, though he did not show it, for jealousy dislikes the world to know it.” — Lord Byron

“Jealousy is always born with love, but does not die with it.” — François de La Rochefoucauld

“In jealousy, there is more of self-love than of love to another.” — François de La Rochefoucauld

Mark Twain's quote: “Man will do many things to get himself loved; he will do all things to get himself envied.” | Image: AmoDays

“I thought that jealousy was an idea. It isn’t. It’s a pain. But I didn’t feel as they do in a Broadway melodrama. I didn’t want to kill anybody. I just wanted to die.” — Floyd Dell

“Jealousy sees things always with magnifying glasses which make little things large, of dwarfs giants, of suspicions truths.” — Miguel de Cervantes

“The jealous are possessed by a mad devil and a dull spirit at the same time.” — Johann Kaspar Lavater

“More men die of jealousy than of cancer.” — Joseph P. Kennedy

“Jealousy is one of the wickedest of all the passions. But reprehensible though it is, jealousy is almost rather be pitied than blamed — its first victims are those who harbor the feeling.” — Arthur Lynch

Friedrich Nietzsche's quote: “Surrounded by the flames of jealousy, the jealous one winds up, like the scorpion, turning the poisoned sting against himself.” | Image: AmoDays

“The bitter often band together into anti-support groups, conspiring to ensure no one succeeds. Forward momentum is stamped out quickly by the ambient sense of disapproval. Individual growth threatens the communal cover story. “If you can progress, what does that say about me?” — The Stoic Emperor

“Jealousy or a zero-sum view of success, someone else getting all the attention.” — Jerry Neumann

“The lovesick, the betrayed, and the jealous all smell alike.” — Colette

“The envious die not once, but as oft as the envied win applause.” — Baltasar Gracian

“Of the seven deadly sins, only envy is no fun at all.” — Joseph Epstein

Robert Greene's quote: “Appearing better than others is always dangerous, but most dangerous of all is to appear to have no faults or weaknesses. Envy creates silent enemies. It is smart to occasionally display defects, and admit to harmless vices, in order to deflect envy and appear more approachable.” | Image: AmoDays

“It’s such a poisonous emotion because, at the end of the day, you’re no better off, you’re unhappier, and the person you’re jealous of is still successful or good-looking or whatever they are.” — Naval Ravikant

“Envy and jealousy are the private parts of the human soul. Perhaps the comparison can be extended.” — Friedrich Nietzsche

“Jealousy is both reasonable and belongs to reasonable men, while envy is base and belongs to the base, for the one makes himself get good things by jealousy, while the other does not allow his neighbor to have them through envy.” — Aristotle

Patrick Henry's quote: “Jealousy is the only vice that gives no pleasure.” | Image: AmoDays

As some of these wise quotes teach us, jealousy normally arises from our feelings of inferiority compared to other people. Therefore, one important thing we can do to overcome jealousy is to create a sense of contentment in our lives.

No longer comparing ourselves to other people will help us see the good things that happen to us daily, thereby giving us a sense of inner peace.

If these quotes gave you a sense of inner peace, you'll love these heartwarming quotes on sisterhood.