--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Be careful with the government, for they…" description: "\"“Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/yosef-marcus-61588_befriend_be-careful-with-the-government-for-they_764650.jpg" --- # Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person… ![“Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress.” quote by Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/yosef-marcus-61588_befriend_be-careful-with-the-government-for-they_764650.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/yosef-marcus-61588_befriend_be-careful-with-the-government-for-they_764650.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/073/yosef-marcus-61588_befriend_be-careful-with-the-government-for-they_764650.jpg) > ““Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. They appear to be friends when it is beneficial to them, but they do not stand by a person at the time of his distress.”” [Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Governments may feign friendship, offering help only when convenient, abandoning individuals in distress. **In simple terms:** Governments can be self‑serving. Key Takeaway Stay vigilant and seek independent support. Themes politics trust government self‑interest Mood cautious critical Type political advice When to use this quote - elections - policy advocacy - community organizing - personal crisis Key Concepts political science social contract civic engagement Questions to Reflect On - How can citizens hold leaders accountable? - What alternative support systems exist? A Different Perspective May generalize all governments negatively. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Friend](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friend/) [Friendship](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/friendship/) [Government](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/government/) [Politics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/politics/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) ## Related quotes > [We are born to be ourselves-in need of upgrading the gene-to look back again and again and befriend the person we once intended to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-anderson/we-are-born-to-be-ourselves-in-need-of-upgrading-the-gene-to-look/) [Joan Anderson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-anderson/) > [“You can love people, and you can befriend them, but the only person you can ever one hundred percent depend on is yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-leigh/you-can-love-people-and-you-can-befriend-them-but-the-only-person-you/) [Trisha Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-leigh/) > [Be careful in your relations with the government; for they draw no man close to themselves except for their own interests. They appear as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gamaliel/be-careful-in-your-relations-with-the-government-for-they-draw-no-man/) Gamaliel > [I was asked to come and appear on 'Friends,' and I did.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-buffer/i-was-asked-to-come-and-appear-on-friends-and-i-did/) [Bruce Buffer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-buffer/) > [People who live in society have learnt how to see themselves, in mirrors, as they appear to their friends. I have no friends: is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jean-paul-sartre/people-who-live-in-society-have-learnt-how-to-see-themselves-in/) [Jean-Paul Sartre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jean-paul-sartre/) > [Dont befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-befriend-angry-people-or-associate-with-hot-tempered-people-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [It's extraordinary how many people read a book that's new and weird and befriend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-s-extraordinary-how-many-people-read-a-book-that-s-new-and-weird/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Now you are in the true world, and a great deal more is required of you. Here you must befriend real wolves, and lure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-lanagan/now-you-are-in-the-true-world-and-a-great-deal-more-is-required-of/) [Margo Lanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-lanagan/) > [“Plantations of good morals are easily captivated, colonized and corrupted by the pests of a bad company. Spray away bad companies and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/plantations-of-good-morals-are-easily-captivated-colonized-and/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Have a religion but don't let religion have you! Befriend God because you wanted to, not because they have said it to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janina-lea-dela-pe-a/have-a-religion-but-don-t-let-religion-have-you-befriend-god-because/) Janina Lea Dela Peña > [“Befriend. It's a good word. Be-friend." -Bea”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-yeh/befriend-it-s-a-good-word-be-friend-bea/) [Kat Yeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-yeh/) > [“If you stay passionate and committed, mediocrity will never be eager to befriend you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-stay-passionate-and-committed-mediocrity-will-never-be-eager/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [No one survives in times of war unless they make war their home. How did I get so old and wise, but for welcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/no-one-survives-in-times-of-war-unless-they-make-war-their-home-how/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [You love young ones and babes, I know this. The young will always befriend and admire you...all the young ones of the earth belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/you-love-young-ones-and-babes-i-know-this-the-young-will-always/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [I always befriend shy people. If they're insightful, I have a study buddy. If they're crazy, I'm the only one not getting shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-befriend-shy-people-if-they-re-insightful-i-have-a-study/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Yosef Marcus > [“Which is the right path for man to choose for himself? Whatever is harmonious for the one who does it, and harmonious for mankind.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yosef-marcus/which-is-the-right-path-for-man-to-choose-for-himself-whatever-is/) [Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) > [“The day is short, the work is much, the workers are lazy, the reward is great, and the Master is pressing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yosef-marcus/the-day-is-short-the-work-is-much-the-workers-are-lazy-the-reward-is/) [Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) > [“Make that His will should be your will, so that He should make your will to be as His will. Nullify your will before…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yosef-marcus/make-that-his-will-should-be-your-will-so-that-he-should-make-your/) [Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) > [“Make your Torah study a permanent fixture of your life. Say little and do much. And receive every man with a pleasant countenance.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yosef-marcus/make-your-torah-study-a-permanent-fixture-of-your-life-say-little-and/) [Yosef Marcus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) [Explore all 5 Yosef Marcus quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yosef-marcus/) ## More Befriend quotes > [I always befriend shy people. If they're insightful, I have a study buddy. If they're crazy, I'm the only one not getting shot.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-always-befriend-shy-people-if-they-re-insightful-i-have-a-study/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You love young ones and babes, I know this. The young will always befriend and admire you...all the young ones of the earth belong…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brian-jacques/you-love-young-ones-and-babes-i-know-this-the-young-will-always/) [Brian Jacques](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brian-jacques/) > [No one survives in times of war unless they make war their home. How did I get so old and wise, but for welcoming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gregory-maguire/no-one-survives-in-times-of-war-unless-they-make-war-their-home-how/) [Gregory Maguire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gregory-maguire/) > [“If you stay passionate and committed, mediocrity will never be eager to befriend you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/if-you-stay-passionate-and-committed-mediocrity-will-never-be-eager/) [Israelmore Ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [“Befriend. It's a good word. Be-friend." -Bea”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kat-yeh/befriend-it-s-a-good-word-be-friend-bea/) [Kat Yeh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kat-yeh/) > [“Have a religion but don't let religion have you! Befriend God because you wanted to, not because they have said it to you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/janina-lea-dela-pe-a/have-a-religion-but-don-t-let-religion-have-you-befriend-god-because/) Janina Lea Dela Peña > [“Plantations of good morals are easily captivated, colonized and corrupted by the pests of a bad company. Spray away bad companies and you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/israelmore-ayivor/plantations-of-good-morals-are-easily-captivated-colonized-and/) [israelmore ayivor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/israelmore-ayivor/) > [Now you are in the true world, and a great deal more is required of you. Here you must befriend real wolves, and lure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/margo-lanagan/now-you-are-in-the-true-world-and-a-great-deal-more-is-required-of/) [Margo Lanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/margo-lanagan/) > [It's extraordinary how many people read a book that's new and weird and befriend it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junot-diaz/it-s-extraordinary-how-many-people-read-a-book-that-s-new-and-weird/) [Junot Diaz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junot-diaz/) > [Dont befriend angry people or associate with hot-tempered people, or you will learn to be like them and endanger your soul.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/dont-befriend-angry-people-or-associate-with-hot-tempered-people-or/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Be loyal and trustworthy. Do not befriend anyone who is lower than yourself in this regard.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/confucius/be-loyal-and-trustworthy-do-not-befriend-anyone-who-is-lower-than/) [Confucius](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/confucius/) > [“The vacancy in your heart doesn't connotes that nobody is seeking for the job of servicing your feelings, but because the employee must first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-bassey-johnson/the-vacancy-in-your-heart-doesn-t-connotes-that-nobody-is-seeking-for/) [Michael Bassey Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-bassey-johnson/) > [I so desperately hate to end these movies that the first thing I do when I'm done is write another one. Then I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-hughes/i-so-desperately-hate-to-end-these-movies-that-the-first-thing-i-do/) [John Hughes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-hughes/) > [If you wish to befriend someone, look for a person who loves first God then themselves. If they love God, they will be able…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-deunov/if-you-wish-to-befriend-someone-look-for-a-person-who-loves-first-god/) [Peter Deunov](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-deunov/) > [“You can love people, and you can befriend them, but the only person you can ever one hundred percent depend on is yourself.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/trisha-leigh/you-can-love-people-and-you-can-befriend-them-but-the-only-person-you/) [Trisha Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/trisha-leigh/) Browse all 49 Befriend quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Be careful with the government, for they befriend a person only for their own needs. 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