Keep your friends close and your enemies closer

Meaning: It's wise to monitor those who might harm you.

Origin: Often attributed to Sun Tzu, popularized by The Godfather Part II.

Translations

• French: Garde tes amis près de toi, et tes ennemis encore plus près (literally: Keep your friends near you, and your enemies even nearer)
• Spanish: Mantén a tus amigos cerca y a tus enemigos más cerca (literally: Keep your friends close and your enemies closer)
• Japanese: 友は近くに、敵はもっと近くに (Tomo wa chikaku ni, teki wa motto chikaku ni) (literally: Friends close, enemies closer)

More proverbs about Wisdom

• Jack of all trades, master of none — Versatility can come at the cost of expertise.
• Haste makes waste — Rushing leads to mistakes and wasted effort.
• Don't cry over spilled milk — Don't worry about things that have already happened.
• A penny saved is a penny earned — Saving money is just as valuable as earning it.
• Easy come, easy go — Things obtained without effort are easily lost.
• The proof is in the pudding — Results speak louder than promises.

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