Even When A Friend Does Something

This saying is attributed to Genghis Khan in The Secret History of the Mongols, which presents Chinggis as valuing loyalty and personal relationships alongside military prowess. The Secret History depicts Chinggis cultivating a circle of trusted nokhod (companions) who remained loyal to him through decades of campaigns — a relationship model that was central to how Mongol military command functioned. The saying reflects a pragmatic ethic: loyalty is not contingent on perfect agreement, a principle that allowed Chinggis to integrate commanders from previously rival tribes into a unified force.