---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You learned the two greatest thing in…"
description: "\"You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.\" — Robert De Niro"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg"
---

#  You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on…

![“You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.” quote by Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg)

> “You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.”

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Loyalty and discretion are paramount; betrayals and careless speech can have severe consequences.

**In simple terms:** Keep secrets and stay silent for friends.

Key Takeaway

Guard trust, speak only when necessary.

Themes

loyalty silence trust ethics

Mood

serious reflective

Type

ethical cautionary

When to use this quote

- gangs
- friend groups
- workplace
- political circles
- family gatherings

Key Concepts

morality social dynamics risk management

Questions to Reflect On

- When should you break silence for a greater good?
- How do you handle a friend who betrays trust?

A Different Perspective

Silence can also enable wrongdoing; loyalty must be balanced with moral responsibility.

★ ★ ★ ★ ★   No ratings yet

[Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Life](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/life/)

## Related quotes

> [I've been so lonely for long periods of my life that if a rat walked in I would have welcomed it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/i-ve-been-so-lonely-for-long-periods-of-my-life-that-if-a-rat-walked/)

[Louise Berliawsky Nevelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/louise-berliawsky-nevelson/)

> [I've learned from the greatest people, and I've got wonderful things to pass on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-rees/i-ve-learned-from-the-greatest-people-and-i-ve-got-wonderful-things/)

[Roger Rees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-rees/)

> [I've learned some of the greatest life lessons from growing up in the skate and punk rock communities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-hoppus/i-ve-learned-some-of-the-greatest-life-lessons-from-growing-up-in-the/)

[Mark Hoppus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-hoppus/)

> [Everybody gets pinched but you did it right. You told them nothing and they got nothing. You learned the two greatest things in life:…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicholas-pileggi/everybody-gets-pinched-but-you-did-it-right-you-told-them-nothing-and/)

[Nicholas Pileggi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicholas-pileggi/)

> [Keep your mouth shut, and close up the doors of sight and sound, and as long as you live you will have no vexation.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laozi/keep-your-mouth-shut-and-close-up-the-doors-of-sight-and-sound-and-as/)

[Laozi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laozi/)

> [I learned to keep my mouth shut, to keep my hands down, just try to put the ball in the net. That is the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marko-arnautovic/i-learned-to-keep-my-mouth-shut-to-keep-my-hands-down-just-try-to-put/)

[Marko Arnautovic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marko-arnautovic/)

> [I grew up on a farm in a small town where you do or say one thing and everybody knows about it. You see…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garrett-hedlund/i-grew-up-on-a-farm-in-a-small-town-where-you-do-or-say-one-thing-and/)

[Garrett Hedlund](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garrett-hedlund/)

> [You're almost always better off keeping your mouth shut, but don't let that stop you from popping off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-rooney/you-re-almost-always-better-off-keeping-your-mouth-shut-but-don-t-let/)

[Andy Rooney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-rooney/)

> [I wish I had kept my damn mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicklaus/i-wish-i-had-kept-my-damn-mouth-shut/)

[Jack Nicklaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicklaus/)

> [I'm not going to keep my mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/butch-trucks/i-m-not-going-to-keep-my-mouth-shut/)

[Butch Trucks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/butch-trucks/)

> [When Jerry Lewis and I were big, we used to go to parties, and everybody thought I was big-headed and stuck up, and I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dean-martin/when-jerry-lewis-and-i-were-big-we-used-to-go-to-parties-and/)

[Dean Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dean-martin/)

> [“Barbie wasn’t sure there was that much difference between city mice and country mice when they were under stress, but he kept his mouth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/barbie-wasn-t-sure-there-was-that-much-difference-between-city-mice/)

[Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/)

> [Some people as a result of adversity are sadder, wiser, kinder, more human. Most of us are better, though, when things go better. Knowing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-forbes/some-people-as-a-result-of-adversity-are-sadder-wiser-kinder-more/)

[Malcolm Forbes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-forbes/)

> [X + Y + Z X is work. Y is play. Z is keep your mouth shut.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/x-y-z-x-is-work-y-is-play-z-is-keep-your-mouth-shut/)

[Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/)

> [“folks don’t like to have somebody around knowin’ more than they do. It aggravates ’em. You’re not gonna change any of them by talkin’…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harper-lee/folks-don-t-like-to-have-somebody-around-knowin-more-than-they-do-it/)

[Harper Lee](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harper-lee/)

## More by Robert De Niro

> [In the casino, the cardinal rule is to keep them playing and to keep them coming back. The longer they play, the more they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/in-the-casino-the-cardinal-rule-is-to-keep-them-playing-and-to-keep/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I guess the only thing to do now is meet his parents. I'm sure they're decent people. I mean they gotta be if they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-guess-the-only-thing-to-do-now-is-meet-his-parents-i-m-sure-they-re/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I like to visit L.A., but I wouldn't want to live there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-like-to-visit-l-a-but-i-wouldn-t-want-to-live-there/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [You don't need words to express feelings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-need-words-to-express-feelings/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [You don't just play a part. You've got to earn the right to play it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-don-t-just-play-a-part-you-ve-got-to-earn-the-right-to-play-it/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I've been in so many movies that I automatically know what's happening on the set. Things that I don't even remember consciously I just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-ve-been-in-so-many-movies-that-i-automatically-know-what-s/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [There is a certain combination of anarchy and discipline in the way I work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/there-is-a-certain-combination-of-anarchy-and-discipline-in-the-way-i/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [The hardest thing about being famous is that ... in a conversation everybody's agreeing with what you're saying. ... You need people who can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/the-hardest-thing-about-being-famous-is-that-in-a-conversation/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I mean, the actors that I admired were Marlon Brando, Montgomery Clift, an actress named Barbara Harris. And Greta Garbo. They were great actors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-mean-the-actors-that-i-admired-were-marlon-brando-montgomery-clift/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [It's important not to indicate. People don't try to show their feelings, they try to hide them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/it-s-important-not-to-indicate-people-don-t-try-to-show-their/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I hurt someone's feelings once.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-hurt-someone-s-feelings-once/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [As I get older, I think that things have been pre-determined for me, whether I liked it or wanted it, wished for it, whatever,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/as-i-get-older-i-think-that-things-have-been-pre-determined-for-me/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [New York is more exciting, I guess, than even Paris or London. New York's the center of something; I don't know what, really -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/new-york-is-more-exciting-i-guess-than-even-paris-or-london-new-york/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I'm not a big football person at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-m-not-a-big-football-person-at-all/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

> [I will not hesitate. Not for a second.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/i-will-not-hesitate-not-for-a-second/)

[Robert De Niro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

[Explore all 123 Robert De Niro quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/)

## More Friendship quotes

> [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/)

> [I never believed in trying to do anything. Whatever I set out to do I found I had already accomplished.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/i-never-believed-in-trying-to-do-anything-whatever-i-set-out-to-do-i/)

[Johann Wolfgang von Goethe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johann-wolfgang-von-goethe/)

> [“ever day Maureen is Selfish To her friend and Family One she get mad at her friend and family and She need to Grad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-andeson/ever-day-maureen-is-selfish-to-her-friend-and-family-one-she-get-mad/)

Maureen Andeson

> [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/)

[Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/)

> [I gave my archive to Emory University because there's a really dear friend who teaches there, Rudolph Byrd, and he's the editor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alice-walker/i-gave-my-archive-to-emory-university-because-there-s-a-really-dear/)

[Alice Walker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alice-walker/)

> [Friends are like stars you can't always see them, but you know they're there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknwon/friends-are-like-stars-you-can-t-always-see-them-but-you-know-they-re/)

Unknwon

> [I've been writing songs since I was 10 years old and always had a penchant for rhyming. I started listening to hip hop through…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hoodie-allen/i-ve-been-writing-songs-since-i-was-10-years-old-and-always-had-a/)

[Hoodie Allen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hoodie-allen/)

> [If you love some one for who they are not for there body or how many friend so when you say I love you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/unknow/if-you-love-some-one-for-who-they-are-not-for-there-body-or-how-many/)

Unknow

> [“But my best friend from college was silent for a long time. She, of all of my friends, had seen the parade of sad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-groff/but-my-best-friend-from-college-was-silent-for-a-long-time-she-of-all/)

[Lauren Groff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-groff/)

> [You smile upon your friend to-day, To-day his ills are over; You hearken to the lover's say, And happy is the lover. 'Tis late…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-smile-upon-your-friend-to-day-to-day-his-ills-are-over-you/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

> [“way. A true friend isn't the one that agrees with everything you say or do. A true friend is someone that has your back…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shameek-speight/way-a-true-friend-isn-t-the-one-that-agrees-with-everything-you-say/)

[Shameek Speight](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shameek-speight/)

> [No one is completely unhappy at the failure of his best friend.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/groucho-marx/no-one-is-completely-unhappy-at-the-failure-of-his-best-friend/)

[Groucho Marx](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/groucho-marx/)

> [“Kings don’t move mountains as a favor to a friend,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/megan-whalen-turner/kings-don-t-move-mountains-as-a-favor-to-a-friend/)

[Megan Whalen Turner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/megan-whalen-turner/)

> [I have friends and family that identify as LGBTQ.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-mace/i-have-friends-and-family-that-identify-as-lgbtq/)

[Nancy Mace](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-mace/)

> [“The real purpose of friendship was to discover and exploit weakness in others.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-thompson/the-real-purpose-of-friendship-was-to-discover-and-exploit-weakness/)

[Brian Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-thompson/)

[Browse all 45,469 Friendship quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/)

```json
{
    "@context": "https://schema.org",
    "@graph": [
        {
            "@type": "Quotation",
            "text": "You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.",
            "creator": {
                "@type": "Person",
                "name": "Robert De Niro"
            },
            "isPartOf": {
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website"
            },
            "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-life-never-rat-on-your-friends/",
            "about": {
                "@type": "Thing",
                "name": "Friendship"
            },
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-life-never-rat-on-your-friends/#quotation",
            "image": {
                "@type": "ImageObject",
                "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg",
                "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg",
                "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/02d/robert-de-niro-3745_friendship_you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-li_1739264.jpg",
                "width": 1080,
                "height": 1080,
                "caption": "“You learned the two greatest thing in life, never rat on your friends, and always keep your mouth shut.” — Robert De Niro",
                "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": "Robert De Niro",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-de-niro/"
                },
                {
                    "@type": "ListItem",
                    "position": 4,
                    "name": "You learned the two greatest thing...",
                    "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-life-never-rat-on-your-friends/"
                }
            ],
            "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-de-niro/you-learned-the-two-greatest-thing-in-life-never-rat-on-your-friends/#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
            }
        }
    ]
}
```
