--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend…" description: "\"Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!\" — Anonymous" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg" --- # Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves… ![“Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!” quote by Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg) > “Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!” [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The line mocks people who reject beneficial advice, defending themselves against help. **In simple terms:** People often resist helpful advice. Key Takeaway Question why you reject help. Themes self‑defense advice human nature irony Mood skeptical humorous Type satirical critical When to use this quote - family discussions - workplace feedback - personal coaching Key Concepts behavioral economics psychology social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - What advice have you dismissed? - Why do we defend harmful habits? A Different Perspective Not all advice is good; discernment needed. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) [Adam Sons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam-sons-3175547/) [Cleverly Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cleverly-defend-3175545/) [Defend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend/) [Defend Good](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/defend-good-1652058/) [Might](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/might/) [Religion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/religion/) [Son](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/son/) [Sons Cleverly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sons-cleverly-3175546/) ## Related quotes > [It is fortunate that Literature is in no ways injured by the follies of Collectors, since though they preserve the worthless, they necessarily defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/isaac-d-israeli/it-is-fortunate-that-literature-is-in-no-ways-injured-by-the-follies/) [Isaac D'Israeli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/isaac-d-israeli/) > [Praising people behind their back is monstrously unfair, because the one thing you can't defend yourself against is the good that people say about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-david-roberts/praising-people-behind-their-back-is-monstrously-unfair-because-the/) [Gregory David Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-david-roberts/) > [We will fight and defend my good name in the European court. We have to be strong and defend Ukraine from this authoritarianism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yulia-tymoshenko/we-will-fight-and-defend-my-good-name-in-the-european-court-we-have/) [Yulia Tymoshenko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yulia-tymoshenko/) > [Defend for all the right reasons than the wrongs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/defend-for-all-the-right-reasons-than-the-wrongs/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It doesn't take an army to bring a giant down...it takes one person who is willing to risk it all to defend the Name…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/it-doesn-t-take-an-army-to-bring-a-giant-down-it-takes-one-person-who/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-disapprove-of-what-you-say-but-i-will-defend-to-the-death-your/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When an entrant competitor attacks the low end of any market, the rational reaction of the incumbent firms is to abandon rather than defend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-an-entrant-competitor-attacks-the-low-end-of-any-market-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [How could you get mad at someone who neither needed to attack nor was at all worried about being able to defend? It was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/how-could-you-get-mad-at-someone-who-neither-needed-to-attack-nor-was/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We can't rely on others to protect us, to tell our stories, to defend us, to represent us. let this light a fire under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-can-t-rely-on-others-to-protect-us-to-tell-our-stories-to-defend/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Dont bad mouth other people. Dont speak ill of people behind their back, because its unfair to them and does not give them a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-bad-mouth-other-people-dont-speak-ill-of-people-behind-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [In the beginning, you'll have to defend your vision. But after you succeed, your vision will defend you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/in-the-beginning-you-ll-have-to-defend-your-vision-but-after-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scripture is like a lion. Who ever heard of defending a lion? Just turn it loose; it will defend itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scripture-is-like-a-lion-who-ever-heard-of-defending-a-lion-just-turn/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [When you no longer wish to defend, explain or fight then its time to give up...no matter how much you don't want to.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/when-you-no-longer-wish-to-defend-explain-or-fight-then-its-time-to/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I don't need a perfect person. I just need someone who will defend me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-don-t-need-a-perfect-person-i-just-need-someone-who-will-defend-me/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [History is the short trudge from Adam to atom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/history-is-the-short-trudge-from-adam-to-atom/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Anonymous > [And a tear rolled down her cheek, as she said goodbye; because she's walking away, and she's never looking back](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-a-tear-rolled-down-her-cheek-as-she-said-goodbye-because-she-s/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Life is full of change. That's how we learn and grow.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/life-is-full-of-change-that-s-how-we-learn-and-grow/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'll seldom experience regret for anything that you've done. It is what you haven't done that will torment you. The message, therefore, is clear.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ll-seldom-experience-regret-for-anything-that-you-ve-done-it-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Scrabble - The game is available in Braille. That’s a nice fact. This makes me feel better about humanity for some reason. I can’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/scrabble-the-game-is-available-in-braille-that-s-a-nice-fact-this/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Everyone needs someone to love, and I choose you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/everyone-needs-someone-to-love-and-i-choose-you/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“THIS tale of my sore-troubled life I write,    To thank the God of nature, who conveyed    My soul to me, and with such care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/this-tale-of-my-sore-troubled-life-i-write-to-thank-the-god-of-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Put on my J's and dance the whole night away Im naughty by nature like Im hip-hop hooray With my hands in the sky,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/put-on-my-j-s-and-dance-the-whole-night-away-im-naughty-by-nature/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Me.. I have been through a lot, but I still manage to have a smile on my face. Im not worried about the past…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/me-i-have-been-through-a-lot-but-i-still-manage-to-have-a-smile-on-my/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Distance is a test of love. many will fail for those who can't withstand it, but for those who can, theres only one answer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/distance-is-a-test-of-love-many-will-fail-for-those-who-can-t/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Im sorry I ever tried...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/im-sorry-i-ever-tried/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being betrayed by the one you love is the worst feeling in the world...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-betrayed-by-the-one-you-love-is-the-worst-feeling-in-the-world/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Let children support their parents or be imprisoned.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/let-children-support-their-parents-or-be-imprisoned/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The only person I've ever purposely caused pain here is myself...By simply sharing, caring too much.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-only-person-i-ve-ever-purposely-caused-pain-here-is-myself-by/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Start a business, not a startup”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/start-a-business-not-a-startup/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The truth is, of course, that the curtness of the Ten Commandments is an evidence, not of the gloom and narrowness of a religion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-truth-is-of-course-that-the-curtness-of-the-ten-commandments-is/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Explore all 162,899 Anonymous quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More Adam quotes > [Women rule the world. It's not really worth fighting because they know what they're doing. Ask Napoleon. Ask Adam. Ask Richard Burton or Richie…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-bon-jovi/women-rule-the-world-it-s-not-really-worth-fighting-because-they-know/) [Jon Bon Jovi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-bon-jovi/) > [The writings of latter-day prophets clearly teach that the sorrows and sufferings endured by Adam and Eve upon their leaving the Garden of Eden…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-k-judd/the-writings-of-latter-day-prophets-clearly-teach-that-the-sorrows/) [Daniel K Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-k-judd/) > [“Mary: Some call this "Eve's curse," but I think that is stupid because the real curse of Eve was having to put up with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margaret-atwood/mary-some-call-this-eve-s-curse-but-i-think-that-is-stupid-because/) [Margaret Atwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margaret-atwood/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [“Adam could imagine what he looked like: a debauched nerd.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heidi-cullinan/adam-could-imagine-what-he-looked-like-a-debauched-nerd/) [Heidi Cullinan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heidi-cullinan/) > [Adam Berenson knows how to compose, organize an ensemble, do musical research, play solo and trio piano, write for musical journals, and enlist others…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bley/adam-berenson-knows-how-to-compose-organize-an-ensemble-do-musical/) [Paul Bley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bley/) > [“Finally, someone had seen him. And what had he done? Let her get away. Undermined by his disgusting human anatomy. It had just been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-marie-moning/finally-someone-had-seen-him-and-what-had-he-done-let-her-get-away/) [Karen Marie Moning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-marie-moning/) > [“I’d think there are degrees of greatness,” Adam said. “I don’t think so,” said Samuel. “That would be like saying there is a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-steinbeck/i-d-think-there-are-degrees-of-greatness-adam-said-i-don-t-think-so/) [John Steinbeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-steinbeck/) > [An ineffably holy God, who has the utmost abhorrence of sin, was never invented by any of Adam's descendents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/arthur-w-pink/an-ineffably-holy-god-who-has-the-utmost-abhorrence-of-sin-was-never/) [Arthur W. Pink](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/arthur-w-pink/) > [“think Adam is looking to break Kenji’s neck at this point.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tahereh-mafi/think-adam-is-looking-to-break-kenji-s-neck-at-this-point/) [Tahereh Mafi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tahereh-mafi/) > [“Adam's lips are set in a grime line. I can't tell if he's about to cry or about to punch the guard. For his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gayle-forman/adam-s-lips-are-set-in-a-grime-line-i-can-t-tell-if-he-s-about-to-cry/) [Gayle Forman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gayle-forman/) > [And as regards Adam and Eve we must maintain that before the fall they were virgins in Paradise: but after they sinned, and were…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/st-jerome/and-as-regards-adam-and-eve-we-must-maintain-that-before-the-fall/) [St. Jerome](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/st-jerome/) > [Adam became so proud that he wished to become God and died for his pride; the Son of God humbled Himself unto death, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-of-kronstadt/adam-became-so-proud-that-he-wished-to-become-god-and-died-for-his/) [John of Kronstadt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-of-kronstadt/) > [Oh, Adam was a gardener, and God who made him sees That half a proper gardener's work is done upon his knees, So when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rudyard-kipling/oh-adam-was-a-gardener-and-god-who-made-him-sees-that-half-a-proper/) [Rudyard Kipling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rudyard-kipling/) > [“Barışı elde etmek için çabalayan her adam olağanüstü bir adamdır!”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/bar-elde-etmek-i-in-abalayan-her-adam-ola-an-st-bir-adamd-r/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) [Browse all 1,360 Adam quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adam/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Anonymous" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-yourselves-against-all-that/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adam" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-yourselves-against-all-that/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/313/anonymous-1_adam_oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-y_1140337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you defend yourselves against all that might do you good!” — Anonymous", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Anonymous", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Oh, Adam’s sons, how cleverly you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-yourselves-against-all-that/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/oh-adam-s-sons-how-cleverly-you-defend-yourselves-against-all-that/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```