--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be a friend to thyself, and others will…" description: "\"Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too.\" — Thomas Fuller" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png" --- # Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too. ![“Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too.” quote by Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png) > “Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too.” [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Encourages self‑compassion as a foundation for mutual respect. **In simple terms:** Love yourself, and others will love you. Key Takeaway Practice self‑kindness. Themes self‑care empathy relationships Mood warm encouraging Type advice philosophical When to use this quote - personal growth - teamwork - conflict resolution Key Concepts psychology social reciprocity Questions to Reflect On - How does self‑respect influence how you treat others? - Can self‑kindness improve community harmony? A Different Perspective Self‑care alone may not change others' behavior. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friend Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend-thyself-3776729/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Funny friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/funny-friend/) [Thyself](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thyself/) ## Related quotes > [Be a friend to thyself and others will too](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-too/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [First get an absolute conquest over thyself, and then thou wilt easily govern thy wife.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/first-get-an-absolute-conquest-over-thyself-and-then-thou-wilt-easily/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [There is a scarcity of friendship, but not of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/there-is-a-scarcity-of-friendship-but-not-of-friends/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [If you want a friend in Washington, buy a dog.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/if-you-want-a-friend-in-washington-buy-a-dog/) [Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/) > [Friends are what God gives you to make up for your family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-white/friends-are-what-god-gives-you-to-make-up-for-your-family/) [Bruce White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-white/) > [At the shrine of friendship never say die, let the wine of friendship never run dry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/at-the-shrine-of-friendship-never-say-die-let-the-wine-of-friendship/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [You know when you have that one crazy funny friend that always make you question 'what is wrong with you?'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-know-when-you-have-that-one-crazy-funny-friend-that-always-make/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Love is blind; friendship tries not to notice.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/love-is-blind-friendship-tries-not-to-notice/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [Why would anybody want a friend?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/why-would-anybody-want-a-friend/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [If you haven't learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven't learned anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammad-ali/if-you-haven-t-learned-the-meaning-of-friendship-you-really-haven-t/) [Muhammad Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammad-ali/) > [I notice my wife when she's on the phone with her friends, man they will share every animate details of their lives with each…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-foxworthy/i-notice-my-wife-when-she-s-on-the-phone-with-her-friends-man-they/) [Jeff Foxworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-foxworthy/) > [Money can't buy friends, but you can get a better class of enemy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/money-can-t-buy-friends-but-you-can-get-a-better-class-of-enemy/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [What I know for sure is that if you can survive 11 days in cramped quarters with a friend and come out laughing, your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oprah-winfrey/what-i-know-for-sure-is-that-if-you-can-survive-11-days-in-cramped/) [Oprah Winfrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oprah-winfrey/) > [I have a lot of funny friends, though not everyone's funny all the time. Doon Mackichan's my funniest friend in the pub; Nina Conti's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sally-phillips/i-have-a-lot-of-funny-friends-though-not-everyone-s-funny-all-the/) [Sally Phillips](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sally-phillips/) > [Every man should have a fair-sized cemetary in which to bury the faults of his friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-adams/every-man-should-have-a-fair-sized-cemetary-in-which-to-bury-the/) [Henry Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-adams/) ## More by Thomas Fuller > [Poor men's reasons are not heard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/poor-men-s-reasons-are-not-heard/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [There is a scarcity of friendship, but not of friends.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/there-is-a-scarcity-of-friendship-but-not-of-friends/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Govern thy life and thy thoughts as if the whole world were to see the one, and read the other.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/govern-thy-life-and-thy-thoughts-as-if-the-whole-world-were-to-see/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who cures a disease may be the skillfullest, but he that prevents it is the safest physician.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-cures-a-disease-may-be-the-skillfullest-but-he-that-prevents/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Old foxes want no tutors.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/old-foxes-want-no-tutors/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Slight small injuries, and they will become none at all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/slight-small-injuries-and-they-will-become-none-at-all/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He who gives his heart will not deny his money.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-who-gives-his-heart-will-not-deny-his-money/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Though bachelors be the strongest stakes, married men are the best binders, in the hedge of the commonwealth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/though-bachelors-be-the-strongest-stakes-married-men-are-the-best/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Plain dealing is a jewel, but they that wear it are out of fashion](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/plain-dealing-is-a-jewel-but-they-that-wear-it-are-out-of-fashion/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [We are born crying, live complaining, and die disappointed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/we-are-born-crying-live-complaining-and-die-disappointed/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [He that falls into sin is a man; that grieves at it, is a saint; that boasteth of it, is a devil.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/he-that-falls-into-sin-is-a-man-that-grieves-at-it-is-a-saint-that/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Vows made in storms are forgotten in calm.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/vows-made-in-storms-are-forgotten-in-calm/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Welcome death, quoth the rat, when the trap fell.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/welcome-death-quoth-the-rat-when-the-trap-fell/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [A lie has no leg, but a scandal has wings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/a-lie-has-no-leg-but-a-scandal-has-wings/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) > [Great hopes make great men.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/great-hopes-make-great-men/) [Thomas Fuller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) [Explore all 195 Thomas Fuller quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/) ## More Friend quotes > [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](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/unknwon/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [“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/) > [That FRIEND who claim they do anything for you. but yet talk behind your back.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kushsoulja/that-friend-who-claim-they-do-anything-for-you-but-yet-talk-behind/) [KushSoulja](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kushsoulja/) > [In life, we never lose friends we only get to know who the true ones are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ace-kid/in-life-we-never-lose-friends-we-only-get-to-know-who-the-true-ones/) [Ace Kid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ace-kid/) > [“Before you were my enemy, you were my best friend.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kresley-cole/before-you-were-my-enemy-you-were-my-best-friend/) [Kresley Cole](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kresley-cole/) > [Sam dropped me off. When she was too far away to see me, I started to cry again. Because she was my friend again.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-chbosky/sam-dropped-me-off-when-she-was-too-far-away-to-see-me-i-started-to/) [Stephen Chbosky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-chbosky/) > [“When you get lost in a really strange place, nothing is more comforting than found your friend whom you trust and can show the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toba-beta/when-you-get-lost-in-a-really-strange-place-nothing-is-more/) [Toba Beta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toba-beta/) > [Friendship, "the wine of life," should, like a well-stocked cellar, be continually renewed; and it is consolatory to think, that although we can seldom…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-boswell/friendship-the-wine-of-life-should-like-a-well-stocked-cellar-be/) [James Boswell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-boswell/) > [I fell in love with my best friend, but I know that if it doesn't last, it will never be the same.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelly-yang/i-fell-in-love-with-my-best-friend-but-i-know-that-if-it-doesn-t-last/) [Shelly Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelly-yang/) > [A best friend isn't someone who's just always there for you.Its someone who understands you a bit more than you understand yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ritu-ghatourey/a-best-friend-isn-t-someone-who-s-just-always-there-for-you-its/) [Ritu Ghatourey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ritu-ghatourey/) [Browse all 14,984 Friend quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Thomas Fuller" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-be-so-too/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Friend" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-be-so-too/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/37a/thomas-fuller-1956_friend_be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-b_2848609.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Be a friend to thyself, and others will be so too.” — Thomas Fuller", "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": "Thomas Fuller", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-fuller/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Be a friend to thyself, and...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-be-so-too/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-fuller/be-a-friend-to-thyself-and-others-will-be-so-too/#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 } } ] } ```