Your friends are three, and your enemies are three: your friends are your friend, your friend's friend and your enemy's enemy; your enemies are your enemy, your friend's enemy and your enemy's friend.
أصدقاؤك ثلاثة وأعداؤك ثلاثة: فأصدقاؤك صديقك وصديق صديقك وعدو عدوك، وأعداؤك عدوك وعدو صديقك وصديق عدوك
Esdikâüke selâse ve a'dâüke selâse...
Ali, Nahj al-Balagha, saying 295 (Subhi Salih edition, p. 527; saying 295 in the Abduh edition). Nahj al-Balagha is a compilation without chains of transmission by al-Sharif al-Radi (d. 1015).
Ali draws friendship like a map.
Your friend, your friend's friend,
your enemy's enemy.
Your enemy, your friend's enemy,
your enemy's friend.
A person is not alone.
With those they love and those they do not,
they stand within a web.