Statement of 1848, as quoted in The Cynic's Lexicon : A Dictionary of Amoral Advice (1984) by Jonathon Green, p. 91
• One must forgive one's enemies, but not before they are hanged.
• As quoted in A Mania for Sentences (1985) by Dennis Joseph Enright, p. 10
• One must forgive one's enemies, but not before they are hanged.
• As quoted in A Mania for Sentences (1985) by Dennis Joseph Enright, p. 10
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One should forgive one's enemies, but not before they are hanged.
— Heinrich Heine
What It Means
This is a placeholder explanation generated by the low-overhead model. It interprets "One should forgive one's enemies, but not before they are hanged." in the context of "Statement of 1848, as quoted in The Cynic's Lexicon : A Dictionary of Amoral Advice (1984) by Jonathon Green, p. 91
• One must forgive one's enemies, but not before they are hanged.
• As quoted in A Mania for Sentences (1985) by Dennis Joseph Enright, p. 10" to mean that wisdom is timeless.
Source: Wikiquote: "Heinrich Heine" (Quotes)
The 'What it means' explanation text was generated by Google Gemini Flash (accessed January 18, 2026). https://gemini.google.com/app
About Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856) was a journalist, an essayist, and one of the most significant German romantic poets. Jewish by birth, he converted to Lutheran Christianity as an adult.
About Heinrich Heine
Christian Johann Heinrich Heine (December 13, 1797 – February 17, 1856) was a journalist, an essayist, and one of the most significant German romantic poets. Jewish by birth, he converted to Lutheran Christianity as an adult.
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