Franklin contrasts the ability of a wise person to learn from opponents with the inability of a foolish person to benefit even from supportive friends. An enemy may expose weaknesses, challenge assumptions or reveal mistakes that friendly companions overlook. Someone with good judgement can examine that information and use it for improvement rather than dismissing it because of its source.

The saying does not suggest that enemies are necessarily trustworthy or that friends offer little value. Its broader point is that benefit depends partly on the judgement of the person receiving advice, criticism or experience. Wisdom can extract something useful even from unfavourable circumstances, while poor judgement may waste valuable help. Franklin therefore presents learning as an active process: useful lessons can come from unexpected sources if they are assessed carefully rather than accepted or rejected solely according to who provides them.