proverb · Words worth keeping
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. –Napoleon Bonaparte.
Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake. –Napoleon Bonaparte.
Understand the thought
Meaning in plain English
Not interrupting an enemy’s mistake recommends restraint when an opponent is undermining their own position. The supplied sentence includes a Napoleon Bonaparte attribution.
Example
In a fair debate, someone waits for an opponent to complete an inconsistent argument before responding.
Deeper explanation and when to use it
The anthology attribution is preserved but not independently verified here. A critical nonviolent reading can concern a debate or contest, without encouraging preventable harm or treating someone as an enemy permanently. Safety, fairness and a duty of care cannot be inferred away from the maxim.
When to use it
Use it only as a qualified nonviolent competition image.
Keep in mind
No verified attribution or permission to allow preventable harm is established.
An interpretation of the words, not a claim about their earliest origin.
Attribution & collection notes
- Author or tradition
- Traditional
Attribution: traditional - Country attributed
France
A country attribution does not establish the earliest origin.- Historical period
- Date unknown
- Culture
- France