Who said “Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet.”?

Paraphrased

The Talmud, in different words: the idea is theirs, but this popular wording has been altered from the original.

SourceBabylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 28b ('be discreet' is a later addition)

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“Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet.”
— The Talmud
Original (Aramaic), Bava Batra 28b

חברך חברא אית ליה וחברא דחברך חברא אית ליה

Text: Wikisource Talmud Bavli via Sefaria (CC-BY-SA)

ParaphrasedBabylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 28b ('be discreet' is a later addition) · evidenceGossip

Cite this quote

For academic work, cite the original where you can: Babylonian Talmud, Bava Batra 28b ('be discreet' is a later addition).

APA

The Talmud (n.d.). Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet. [Quotation]. Famous Quotations Network. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20209-thy-friend-has-a-friend-and-thy-friends/

MLA

The Talmud. “Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet.” Famous Quotations Network, https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20209-thy-friend-has-a-friend-and-thy-friends/. Accessed 24 Oct. 2026.

Chicago

The Talmud. “Thy friend has a friend, and thy friend's friend has a friend; be discreet.” Famous Quotations Network. Accessed October 24, 2026. https://www.famous-quotations.com/quotes/20209-thy-friend-has-a-friend-and-thy-friends/.

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