# A friend in need is a friend indeed.

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 21, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968 "2003-01-21T13:31:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968/1 "2003-01-21T13:31:04Z")

</div>

What is the meaning of “A friend in need is a friend indeed.”?

Does it mean that a friend who wants something from you is likely to suck up to you? (“A friend who wants something is very friendly – at least until he gets it”) Or is it that when _you_ are in need, and a friend is there for you, that shows you who your true friends are? (“A friend who remains a friend in _your_ need is a true friend.”)

If Ben Franklin actually said it, I think it may mean the former. But I’ve also seen the phrase called “traditional” and by “anonymous”, so the author may have meant the latter. So part two of the question is: Did Benjamin Franklin coin the phrase?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968/2 "2003-01-21T13:37:45Z")

</div>

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=156772](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=156772)

Basically, it’s the latter.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 1:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968/3 "2003-01-21T13:53:30Z")

</div>

:smack:

See what happens when I go on vacation? I miss things.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-friend-in-need-is-a-friend-indeed/149968/4 "2003-01-21T15:44:26Z")

</div>

I was going to give **Priceguy** ’s cite, with the opposite conclusion: your first explanation is corret.

In truth, it’s used both ways. I don’t know who coined it, though.