Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Keep your friends close and your enemies closer.
Meaning in plain English
The saying gives adversaries even closer attention than friends. It values awareness of a possible opponent’s actions.
Example
A reader questions whether an opponent label is justified before deciding what information is relevant.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
Closer is undefined and need not mean physical proximity. A critical explanation can analyse vigilance without endorsing deceptive friendship, surveillance or exposure to harm. Calling someone an enemy also requires scrutiny; the phrase does not prove a threat exists.
When to use it
Use it to examine vigilance critically with boundaries retained.
Keep in mind
No verified threat, duty to feign friendship or safe monitoring strategy is established.
Edsverb editorial interpretation · agent reviewed · 2026-10-05. This explains the saying; it does not establish its historical origin.
- Source
- Contributor-provided proverb reference
Supplied reference A; unit 668; PDF page 96
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