--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Observe your enemies, for they first find…" description: "\"Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults.\" — Antisthenes" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png" --- # Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults. ![“Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults.” quote by Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png) > “Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults.” [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Understanding your enemies reveals your own flaws first, urging self‑examination before confronting others. **In simple terms:** Know your enemies to discover your faults. Key Takeaway Prioritize self‑awareness in conflict. Themes self‑knowledge conflict humility strategy Mood reflective analytical Type philosophical strategic When to use this quote - leadership - negotiation - personal growth - team dynamics Key Concepts Socratic ethics psychological insight defensive tactics Questions to Reflect On - What hidden faults do you avoid acknowledging? - How can this insight improve your relationships? A Different Perspective Self‑knowledge can be uncomfortable or resisted. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Enemies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) [Enemy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy/) ## Related quotes > [“Love your enemies, for they will tell you your faults ”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walter-isaacson/love-your-enemies-for-they-will-tell-you-your-faults/) [Walter Isaacson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walter-isaacson/) > [I do not believe in loving enemies; I have pretty hard work to love my friends. Neither do I believe in revenge. No man…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/i-do-not-believe-in-loving-enemies-i-have-pretty-hard-work-to-love-my/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Greetings and death to our enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-aykroyd/greetings-and-death-to-our-enemies/) [Dan Aykroyd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-aykroyd/) > [It is curious how often one prefers his enemies to his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/it-is-curious-how-often-one-prefers-his-enemies-to-his-friends/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [The next time that we meet we meet as enemies!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynne-ewing/the-next-time-that-we-meet-we-meet-as-enemies/) [Lynne Ewing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynne-ewing/) > [The fact that you get out of bed ever morning even though you feel like giving up shows how strong you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonya-parker/the-fact-that-you-get-out-of-bed-ever-morning-even-though-you-feel/) [Sonya Parker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonya-parker/) > [Our enemies are innovative and resourceful...They never stop thinking about new ways to harm our country and our people, and neither do we.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-w-bush-2/our-enemies-are-innovative-and-resourceful-they-never-stop-thinking/) [George W Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush-2/) > [A sweet thing, perspective - a chance to see your enemies so small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/a-sweet-thing-perspective-a-chance-to-see-your-enemies-so-small/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [Sometimes even paranoids have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/sometimes-even-paranoids-have-enemies/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan ## More by Antisthenes > [Wealth and poverty do not lie in a man's estate, but in men's souls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/wealth-and-poverty-do-not-lie-in-a-man-s-estate-but-in-men-s-souls/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [I'd rather be mad than feel pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/i-d-rather-be-mad-than-feel-pleasure/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [There are only two people who can tell you the truth about yourself - an enemy who has lost his temper and a friend…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/there-are-only-two-people-who-can-tell-you-the-truth-about-yourself/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [The investigation of the meaning of words is the beginning of education.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/the-investigation-of-the-meaning-of-words-is-the-beginning-of/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [“Virtue . . . is the same for men and for women.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/virtue-is-the-same-for-men-and-for-women/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [The advantages of philosophy? That I am able to hold converse with myself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/the-advantages-of-philosophy-that-i-am-able-to-hold-converse-with/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [It is better to fall in with crows than with flatterers; for in the one case you are devoured when dead, in the other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/it-is-better-to-fall-in-with-crows-than-with-flatterers-for-in-the/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [As iron is eaten away by rust, so the envious are consumed by their own passion.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/as-iron-is-eaten-away-by-rust-so-the-envious-are-consumed-by-their/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [I am sadly afraid that I must have done some wicked thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/i-am-sadly-afraid-that-i-must-have-done-some-wicked-thing/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [As rust corrupts iron, so envy corrupts man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/as-rust-corrupts-iron-so-envy-corrupts-man/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [States are doomed when they are unable to distinguish good men from bad.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/states-are-doomed-when-they-are-unable-to-distinguish-good-men-from/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [Royalty does good and is badly spoken of.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/royalty-does-good-and-is-badly-spoken-of/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [We weed out the darnel from the corn and the unfit in war, but do not excuse evil men from the service of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/we-weed-out-the-darnel-from-the-corn-and-the-unfit-in-war-but-do-not/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [The most useful piece of learning for the uses of life is to unlearn what is untrue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/the-most-useful-piece-of-learning-for-the-uses-of-life-is-to-unlearn/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) > [The most necessary learning is that which unlearns evil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/the-most-necessary-learning-is-that-which-unlearns-evil/) [Antisthenes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) [Explore all 23 Antisthenes quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/) ## More Enemies quotes > [“Never let your Enemies become your Advocates.” by A. K. Hasan”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-k-hasan/never-let-your-enemies-become-your-advocates-by-a-k-hasan/) A.K. Hasan > [I don't see why we and the Chinese should have to be enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/indira-gandhi/i-don-t-see-why-we-and-the-chinese-should-have-to-be-enemies/) [Indira Gandhi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/indira-gandhi/) > [“If it takes night to make day, pain to know pleasure, black to make white, then doesn't it stand to reason that the depth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-snyder/if-it-takes-night-to-make-day-pain-to-know-pleasure-black-to-make/) Michael Snyder > [“Enemies Teach. Friends Preach.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tapan-ghosh/enemies-teach-friends-preach/) [Tapan Ghosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tapan-ghosh/) > [Your greatest weapon is your enemies mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/buddha/your-greatest-weapon-is-your-enemies-mind/) [Buddha](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/buddha/) > [“THE UNFORGIVEN Tell me if you've ever had to deal with these kinds of people: The kind who take and don't give. The kind…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-kassem/the-unforgiven-tell-me-if-you-ve-ever-had-to-deal-with-these-kinds-of/) [Suzy Kassem](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-kassem/) > [Sometimes even paranoids have enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/delmore-schwartz/sometimes-even-paranoids-have-enemies/) [Delmore Schwartz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/delmore-schwartz/) > [When a husband brings his wife flowers for no reason, there's a reason.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/molly-mcgee/when-a-husband-brings-his-wife-flowers-for-no-reason-there-s-a-reason/) Molly McGee > [You should never hate anyone, even your worst enemies. Everyone has something good about them. You have to find the redeeming quality and love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeannette-walls/you-should-never-hate-anyone-even-your-worst-enemies-everyone-has/) [Jeannette Walls](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeannette-walls/) > [“Anyone who is portraying Israel as a friend is a servant of Israel. I warn some sides against turning enemies into friends and friends…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/anyone-who-is-portraying-israel-as-a-friend-is-a-servant-of-israel-i/) [Sayed Hassan Nasrallah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sayed-hassan-nasrallah/) > [No accurate thinker will judge another person by that which the other person's enemies say about him.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/napoleon-hill/no-accurate-thinker-will-judge-another-person-by-that-which-the-other/) [Napoleon Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/napoleon-hill/) > [Whoever will not love his enemies cannot know the Lord and the sweetness of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit teaches us to love…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/silouan-the-athonite/whoever-will-not-love-his-enemies-cannot-know-the-lord-and-the/) [Silouan the Athonite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/silouan-the-athonite/) > [I play basketball hard-nosed and if you're not on my team, during that 48 minutes we're enemies.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-barnes/i-play-basketball-hard-nosed-and-if-you-re-not-on-my-team-during-that/) [Matt Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-barnes/) > [“Enemies are people who's story you haven't heard, or who's face you haven't seen.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irene-butter/enemies-are-people-who-s-story-you-haven-t-heard-or-who-s-face-you/) Irene Butter > [A sweet thing, perspective - a chance to see your enemies so small.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/a-sweet-thing-perspective-a-chance-to-see-your-enemies-so-small/) [Stanislaw Jerzy Lec](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stanislaw-jerzy-lec/) [Browse all 1,888 Enemies quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemies/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Antisthenes" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find-out-your-faults/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Enemies" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find-out-your-faults/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/933/antisthenes-24350_enemies_observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find_2110323.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Observe your enemies, for they first find out your faults.” — Antisthenes", "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": "Antisthenes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antisthenes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Observe your enemies, for they first...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find-out-your-faults/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antisthenes/observe-your-enemies-for-they-first-find-out-your-faults/#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 } } ] } ```