--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A cunning adversary will teach you more…" description: "\"“A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless ally.”\" — Matshona Dhliwayo" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg" --- # A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless… ![“A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless ally.” quote by Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg) > ““A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless ally.”” [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Adversaries expose weaknesses and force growth more than complacent allies do **In simple terms:** A clever opponent teaches you more than a useless friend Key Takeaway Learn from challenging opponents Themes growth learning conflict Mood reflective motivational Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - Negotiations - team building - leadership development Key Concepts Strategic thinking resilience adaptation Questions to Reflect On - How can you turn conflict into learning? - What qualities make an adversary valuable? A Different Perspective Relying solely on allies may limit perspective ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Adversary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary/) [Adversary Teach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary-teach-5462103/) [Adversary-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary-quotes-4144/) [Ally-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ally-quotes-6542/) [Brainless Ally](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/brainless-ally-5462104/) [Cunning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning/) [Cunning Adversary](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cunning-adversary-4097195/) [Enemy-quotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-quotations/) [Enemy-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/enemy-quotes/) [Matshona-dhliwayo-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/matshona-dhliwayo-quotes/) [Shrewd-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shrewd-quotes/) [Wisdom quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-quotes/) [Wisdom-quotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wisdom-quotations/) [Wise-quotations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-quotations/) [Wise-quotes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wise-quotes/) ## Related quotes > [“An honorable adversary is better than a dishonorable ally.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/an-honorable-adversary-is-better-than-a-dishonorable-ally/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Keep friends. Lose enemies. Multiply allies. Increase comrades.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/keep-friends-lose-enemies-multiply-allies-increase-comrades/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [We have a cunning adversary, who watches to do mischief, and will promote errors, even by the words of scripture.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matthew-henry/we-have-a-cunning-adversary-who-watches-to-do-mischief-and-will/) [Matthew Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matthew-henry/) > [“When God is on your side, He uses the plots of your enemies to advance your cause.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-god-is-on-your-side-he-uses-the-plots-of-your-enemies-to-advance/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Feed your enemies with a long spoon so they can't bite your hand.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/feed-your-enemies-with-a-long-spoon-so-they-can-t-bite-your-hand/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Behind you, leave your enemies. 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Enlightenment says overcome.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/intelligence-says-think-understanding-says-ponder-insight-says/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Love is the heart’s best tenant; it always pays its rent on time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/love-is-the-heart-s-best-tenant-it-always-pays-its-rent-on-time/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Your mind has the intellect to lift the world, your heart has the wisdom to better the world, and your soul has the genius…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-mind-has-the-intellect-to-lift-the-world-your-heart-has-the/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“When a wolf is hungry it befriends sheep.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/when-a-wolf-is-hungry-it-befriends-sheep/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“If you try to measure love's power, you will run out of measuring tape.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/if-you-try-to-measure-love-s-power-you-will-run-out-of-measuring-tape/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Your highest thoughts hold the key to your highest rewards.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-highest-thoughts-hold-the-key-to-your-highest-rewards/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Your soul is your paintbrush, your world is your canvass, your life is your masterpiece.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/your-soul-is-your-paintbrush-your-world-is-your-canvass-your-life-is/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Truth sees the world as it is; hope sees the world as it could be.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/truth-sees-the-world-as-it-is-hope-sees-the-world-as-it-could-be/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Falling in love is not the problem; hitting your head on the way down is.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/falling-in-love-is-not-the-problem-hitting-your-head-on-the-way-down/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Life is the school of the wise.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/life-is-the-school-of-the-wise/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“Spend time with people who enrich your mind, nourish your heart, and illuminate your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/spend-time-with-people-who-enrich-your-mind-nourish-your-heart-and/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“You have the world in your hands if you have the universe in your soul.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/you-have-the-world-in-your-hands-if-you-have-the-universe-in-your-soul/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“A happy wife is the key to a happy home.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-happy-wife-is-the-key-to-a-happy-home/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“You cannot fast-forward time, you cannot rewind it, and you cannot pause it; you can only waste or benefit from it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/you-cannot-fast-forward-time-you-cannot-rewind-it-and-you-cannot/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) > [“In knowledge there is strength, in understanding there is might, and in wisdom there is power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/in-knowledge-there-is-strength-in-understanding-there-is-might-and-in/) [Matshona Dhliwayo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) [Explore all 1,907 Matshona Dhliwayo quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/) ## More Adversary quotes > [“Satan wants you to believe that you don't have a choice in the matter. You can't be happy until things go the way that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-rietzsch/satan-wants-you-to-believe-that-you-don-t-have-a-choice-in-the-matter/) [Lindsey Rietzsch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-rietzsch/) > [Anthony Weiner is a crafty and worthy adversary - an unrepentant lefty who is usually a savvy media player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-stone/anthony-weiner-is-a-crafty-and-worthy-adversary-an-unrepentant-lefty/) [Roger Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-stone/) > [My adversary is the world of finance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francois-hollande/my-adversary-is-the-world-of-finance/) [Francois Hollande](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francois-hollande/) > [And these two elements are at odds with one another because Freud is utterly adversary to almost all the ways of structuring the human…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chaim-potok/and-these-two-elements-are-at-odds-with-one-another-because-freud-is/) [Chaim Potok](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chaim-potok/) > [You negotiate in bad faith if you do not forgive your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nelson-mandela/you-negotiate-in-bad-faith-if-you-do-not-forgive-your-adversary/) [Nelson Mandela](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nelson-mandela/) > [“price. There is no such thing as pure good or pure evil, least of all in people. In the best of us there are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-goodkind/price-there-is-no-such-thing-as-pure-good-or-pure-evil-least-of-all/) [Terry Goodkind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-goodkind/) > [If you have an adversary, an opponent with an opposing point of view, give that person a platform, regardless of how extreme it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-have-an-adversary-an-opponent-with-an-opposing-point-of-view/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Historically, it is important to try to understand your adversary in order to figure out how they are thinking, what they will be doing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/historically-it-is-important-to-try-to-understand-your-adversary-in/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [“I've never viewed you as an enemy, more an adversary...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joanne-harris/i-ve-never-viewed-you-as-an-enemy-more-an-adversary/) [Joanne Harris](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joanne-harris/) > [“We have first seized the front line of trenches, then the second and the third, and our adversary, shut up in his retreat, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/we-have-first-seized-the-front-line-of-trenches-then-the-second-and/) [Corneliu Zelea Codreanu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/corneliu-zelea-codreanu/) > [Only way to eliminate the element of surprise is to know yourself and now your adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/georges-st-pierre/only-way-to-eliminate-the-element-of-surprise-is-to-know-yourself-and/) [Georges St-Pierre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/georges-st-pierre/) > [“You will never come up against a greater adversary than your own potential.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/star-trekek-the-next-generation-episode-guide-team/you-will-never-come-up-against-a-greater-adversary-than-your-own/) [Star trekek The Next Generation Episode Guide Team](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/star-trekek-the-next-generation-episode-guide-team/) > [“Whenever i see someone fighting me for no reason, I'm always highly impressed that God has instigated his anger against me, just as he…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/whenever-i-see-someone-fighting-me-for-no-reason-i-m-always-highly/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [An exhausted man easily falls prey to the adversary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-oswald-sanders/an-exhausted-man-easily-falls-prey-to-the-adversary/) [J. Oswald Sanders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-oswald-sanders/) > [It is wrong to follow the advice of an adversary; nevertheless it is right to hear it, that you may do the contrary; and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/saadi/it-is-wrong-to-follow-the-advice-of-an-adversary-nevertheless-it-is/) [Saadi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/saadi/) [Browse all 142 Adversary quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/adversary/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless ally.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Matshona Dhliwayo" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more-than-a-brainless-ally/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Adversary" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more-than-a-brainless-ally/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/639/matshona-dhliwayo-52_adversary_a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more_3117674.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“A cunning adversary will teach you more than a brainless ally.” — Matshona Dhliwayo", "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": "Matshona Dhliwayo", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matshona-dhliwayo/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“A cunning adversary will teach you...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more-than-a-brainless-ally/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matshona-dhliwayo/a-cunning-adversary-will-teach-you-more-than-a-brainless-ally/#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 } } ] } ```