No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books.

The saying frames “friendship” as something broader than social company: spiritual presence (“God”) and intellectual companionship (“good books”) can supply the steadiness, counsel, and consolation people often seek from friends. It elevates reading from pastime to relationship—books as voices that keep one from isolation—and it suggests that inner resources can counter loneliness even when outward circumstances are solitary. The line also implies a moral criterion (“good” books), aligning reading with ethical and religious formation rather than mere entertainment.