God send me a friend that may tell me my faults; if not, an enemy, he will be sure to.
Meaning: Criticism from friends teaches growth; enemies provide it regardless, so seek honest feedback over comfortable silence.
Origin: Recorded in A Dictionary of English Proverbs and Proverbial Phrases, an undated collection published in London by Whittaker & Co. around 1880 and credited to Thomas Preston. Its earlier history hasn't been traced.
More proverbs about Communication
- Happy is he who knows his follies in his youth. — Self-awareness in youth allows course correction before mistakes become entrenched life p…
- A fool may ask more questions in half an hour than a wise man can answer in seven years. — Foolish questioning consumes time unproductively while wisdom requires patient, deliberat…
- Foxes, when they cannot reach the grapes, say they are not ripe. — Those denied what they desire rationalize their rejection rather than admit their inabili…
- All are not friends that speak us fair. — Flattery conceals hostile intent; pleasant words alone don't guarantee genuine friendship.
- A full purse makes the mouth to speak. — Wealth emboldens people to voice opinions they might otherwise suppress through fear or s…
- What your glass tells you will not be told by counsel. — Self-knowledge through honest self-reflection surpasses advice from others who cannot see…
From our idioms
- oler a chamusquina — a situation is becoming tense or dangerous; trouble is brewing.
- cazar al vuelo — To seize or take something quickly before someone else can.
- vender la moto — To trick or deceive someone, often by persuading them to believe a false story.