- English translation
Where there is a relative, there is an enemy.
- Literal wording
You have a relative, you have an enemy.
- Meaning and lesson
The proverb holds that kinship is no shield against hostility. Whoever has relatives also has people close enough to resent, envy, or oppose them. The wording allows two readings: any relative may become an enemy, or having kin brings enmity with it. Both readings place the hostility within the family.
It is used to explain or lament friction inside a family, treating such rivalry as almost expected. On this view, closeness, shared interests, and comparison among kin turn relatives into adversaries. It is a cynical generalization about family ties, not a fair judgment of families.
- When it is used
Fits a remark on quarrels between siblings, cousins, or in-laws, especially over inheritance, status, or old grudges. It works as a rueful observation about family conflict rather than as advice. Aimed at a specific relative or family, it can sound accusatory.
Cite or copy proverb
How this record reached us: Editorially sourced.
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