“A doubtful friend is worse than a certain enemy.”

Simplified Meaning:

Imagine you have two people in your life. One is an enemy—you know they don't like you, and you can see they work against you. Because you are aware of their feelings, you can protect yourself from any harm they might cause. The other person calls themselves your friend but is not trustworthy. You never know if they are truly on your side or if they will betray you when it matters. Because of this uncertainty, you cannot fully rely on them, and this doubt can cause more stress and problems than dealing with a known enemy. For example, if you are part of a team working on a project, knowing one team member openly disagrees with your ideas allows you to address that issue directly. However, if another team member pretends to support you but secretly undermines your efforts, it becomes much harder to succeed because their betrayal is unexpected and cuts deeper. Therefore, it's often more challenging to cope with a false friend than with someone who is openly against you. Knowing this can help you choose who to trust carefully and understand the importance of clear and honest relationships in your life.