--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The sharp employ the sharp." description: "\"The sharp employ the sharp.\" — Douglas William Jerrold" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png" --- # The sharp employ the sharp. ![“The sharp employ the sharp.” quote by Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png) > “The sharp employ the sharp.” [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The phrase suggests that those who are sharp or cunning will use similar tactics, implying a cycle of mutual exploitation. **In simple terms:** Clever people use each other’s sharpness. Key Takeaway Beware of reciprocal manipulation. Themes power manipulation strategy conflict Mood cautious analytical Type philosophical critical When to use this quote - political negotiations - business competition - personal relationships - legal disputes Key Concepts reciprocity ethical dilemmas social dynamics Questions to Reflect On - When have you encountered a mutually sharp exchange? - Can sharpness be redirected toward constructive ends? A Different Perspective Not all sharpness is negative; it can be used for justice. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Employ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employ/) [Employ Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employ-sharp-1662066/) [Sharp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp/) [Sharp Employ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sharp-employ-5485150/) ## Related quotes > [The sharp employ the sharp; verily, a man may be known by his attorney.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-verily-a-man-may-be-known-by-his-attorney/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Art history and Elizabethan poetry don't employ workers; the arduous and tedious application of business sciences such as computer programming and accounting does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-conard/art-history-and-elizabethan-poetry-don-t-employ-workers-the-arduous/) [Edward Conard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-conard/) > [My philosophy was, if I just do good work, someone will like it enough to employ me. 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I don't sue journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-never-sue-journalists-i-employ-journalists-i-employ-too-many-of/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/employ-thy-time-well-if-thou-meanest-to-gain-leisure/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [If I have the means, I have the responsibility to employ them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-i-have-the-means-i-have-the-responsibility-to-employ-them/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [“Men who are industrious, and sober, and honest in the pursuit of their own interests should after a while accumulate capital, and after that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/men-who-are-industrious-and-sober-and-honest-in-the-pursuit-of-their/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [I employ case studies of failure into my courses, emphasizing that they teach us much more than studies of success. It is not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/i-employ-case-studies-of-failure-into-my-courses-emphasizing-that/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [You have to listen to the people who employ you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jackson/you-have-to-listen-to-the-people-who-employ-you/) [Stephen Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jackson/) > [I do not employ tricks when I attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-immelmann/i-do-not-employ-tricks-when-i-attack/) [Max Immelmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-immelmann/) > [Much of the conventional analysis of India's stature in the world relies on the all-too-familiar economic assumptions. 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Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) ## More by Douglas William Jerrold > [Self-defense is the clearest of all laws, and for this reason: lawyers didn't make it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/self-defense-is-the-clearest-of-all-laws-and-for-this-reason-lawyers/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Slugs crawl and crawl over our cabbages, like the world's slander over a good name. You may kill them, it is true; but there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/slugs-crawl-and-crawl-over-our-cabbages-like-the-world-s-slander-over/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Patience is the strongest of strong drinks; for it kills the giant despair.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/patience-is-the-strongest-of-strong-drinks-for-it-kills-the-giant/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Humor is the harmony of the heart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/humor-is-the-harmony-of-the-heart/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Love the sea? I dote upon it--from the beach.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/love-the-sea-i-dote-upon-it-from-the-beach/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Modesty is a bright dish-cover, which makes us fancy there is something very nice underneath it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/modesty-is-a-bright-dish-cover-which-makes-us-fancy-there-is/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Reputations, like beavers and cloaks, shall last some people twice the time of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/reputations-like-beavers-and-cloaks-shall-last-some-people-twice-the/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [He is one of those wise philanthropists who, in a time of famine, would vote for nothing but a supply of toothpicks.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/he-is-one-of-those-wise-philanthropists-who-in-a-time-of-famine-would/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Rogues are prone to find things before they are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/rogues-are-prone-to-find-things-before-they-are-lost/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [That man is thought a dangerous knave, Or zealot plotting crime, Who for advancement of his kind Is wiser than his time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/that-man-is-thought-a-dangerous-knave-or-zealot-plotting-crime-who/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [A man is in no danger so long as he talks his love; but to write it is to impale himself on his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/a-man-is-in-no-danger-so-long-as-he-talks-his-love-but-to-write-it-is/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Luck, mere luck may make even madness wisdom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/luck-mere-luck-may-make-even-madness-wisdom/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Dogmation is puppyism come to its full growth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/dogmation-is-puppyism-come-to-its-full-growth/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [In this world truth can wait; she is used to it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/in-this-world-truth-can-wait-she-is-used-to-it/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) > [Wishes, at least, are the easy pleasures of the poor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/wishes-at-least-are-the-easy-pleasures-of-the-poor/) [Douglas William Jerrold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) [Explore all 75 Douglas William Jerrold quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/) ## More Employ quotes > [Many American TV actors employ agents, managers, business managers, publicists and stylists, and are now adding digital media manager to the list. Their job…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-bellman/many-american-tv-actors-employ-agents-managers-business-managers/) [Gina Bellman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-bellman/) > [“For their never-ending endeavours to obtain or retain wealth, countries desperately need companies, because they—unlike most human beings—have the means of production, and human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mokokoma-mokhonoana/for-their-never-ending-endeavours-to-obtain-or-retain-wealth/) [Mokokoma Mokhonoana](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mokokoma-mokhonoana/) > [Walmart and other big-boxers could become the center of gravity for the conservation of goods, employ people with actual know-how, and develop deeper, longer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lisa-gansky/walmart-and-other-big-boxers-could-become-the-center-of-gravity-for/) [Lisa Gansky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lisa-gansky/) > [The end of coal in Appalachia doesn't mean that America is running out of coal (there's plenty left in Wyoming). But it should end…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-goodell/the-end-of-coal-in-appalachia-doesn-t-mean-that-america-is-running/) [Jeff Goodell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-goodell/) > [Much of the conventional analysis of India's stature in the world relies on the all-too-familiar economic assumptions. But we are famously a land of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shashi-tharoor/much-of-the-conventional-analysis-of-india-s-stature-in-the-world/) [Shashi Tharoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shashi-tharoor/) > [I do not employ tricks when I attack.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-immelmann/i-do-not-employ-tricks-when-i-attack/) [Max Immelmann](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-immelmann/) > [You have to listen to the people who employ you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jackson/you-have-to-listen-to-the-people-who-employ-you/) [Stephen Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jackson/) > [I employ case studies of failure into my courses, emphasizing that they teach us much more than studies of success. It is not that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-petroski/i-employ-case-studies-of-failure-into-my-courses-emphasizing-that/) [Henry Petroski](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-petroski/) > [“Men who are industrious, and sober, and honest in the pursuit of their own interests should after a while accumulate capital, and after that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/allen-c-guelzo/men-who-are-industrious-and-sober-and-honest-in-the-pursuit-of-their/) [Allen C. Guelzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/allen-c-guelzo/) > [If I have the means, I have the responsibility to employ them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-brooks/if-i-have-the-means-i-have-the-responsibility-to-employ-them/) [Terry Brooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-brooks/) > [Employ thy time well, if thou meanest to gain leisure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-franklin/employ-thy-time-well-if-thou-meanest-to-gain-leisure/) [Benjamin Franklin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-franklin/) > [I never sue journalists. I employ journalists. I employ too many of them. I don't sue journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-dennis/i-never-sue-journalists-i-employ-journalists-i-employ-too-many-of/) [Felix Dennis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-dennis/) > [My philosophy was, if I just do good work, someone will like it enough to employ me. It never made me famous. And I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-hart/my-philosophy-was-if-i-just-do-good-work-someone-will-like-it-enough/) [Ian Hart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-hart/) > [Art history and Elizabethan poetry don't employ workers; the arduous and tedious application of business sciences such as computer programming and accounting does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-conard/art-history-and-elizabethan-poetry-don-t-employ-workers-the-arduous/) [Edward Conard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-conard/) > [I judge everybody on the Farage Test. Number one, would I employ them? Number two, would I go for a drink with them?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nigel-farage/i-judge-everybody-on-the-farage-test-number-one-would-i-employ-them/) [Nigel Farage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nigel-farage/) [Browse all 71 Employ quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/employ/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The sharp employ the sharp.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Douglas William Jerrold" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-sharp-employ-the-sharp/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Employ" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-sharp-employ-the-sharp/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/ccd/douglas-william-jerrold-9046_employ_the-sharp-employ-the-sharp-2310298_2310298.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The sharp employ the sharp.” — Douglas William Jerrold", "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": "Douglas William Jerrold", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-william-jerrold/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The sharp employ the sharp.", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-sharp-employ-the-sharp/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-william-jerrold/the-sharp-employ-the-sharp/#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 } } ] } ```