The Kural

difficult to acquire as friendship? and what other armour equalleth it as a defence against the machinations of foes?

Like unto the waxing of the moon is the friendship of the worthy: but the alliance of fools is like the waning thereof.

The friendship of the worthy is like the studying of great books: the more thou approachest them, the more charms thou wilt discover in them.

The object of friendship is not merrymaking: but the restraining and reproving of oneself when one goeth astray.

Constant meeting and companionship are superfluous: it is the union of hearts that maketh strong the bond of friendship.

Friendship is not the comradeship that smileth to the face: it is rather the love that delighteth the heart.

That man alone is thy friend who turneth thee aside from wrong, directeth thee toward the right, and beareth thee company in misfortune.

Behold the hand of the man whose garment hath been blown aside, how it hurrieth to re-cover his limbs: that is the symbol of the true friend that hasteneth to succour a man in his misfortune.

Where doth friendship hold its court? It is where two hearts beat in perfect unison and combine to lift each other up in every possible way.

There is beggary in the friendship that can be reckoned, though it boasteth saying, Thus much do I love him and thus much he loveth me.

LXXX

Testing of Fitness for Friendship

791. There is no greater ill than making a friend without first testing him: for, once a friendship is formed, there is no giving it up for the man of heart.

792. Behold the man that maketh men his friends without previously testing them: he courteth disasters which will only end in his death.

793. Take into thy consideration the family of the man whom thou desirest to make thy friend, his virtues and his vices, and the whole range of his associates and connections: and then befriend him if he is worthy.

794. Behold the man who is born of a good family and who dreadeth disgrace: one ought to acquire his friendship even by paying a price for it if necessary.

795. Look for the men who know the way of the wise and can reprove and chastise thee whenever thou go astray: and make them thy friends.

796. There is a virtue even in misfortune: for it is the rod wherewith to measure thy friends.

797. To discard the friendship of fools, that is veritable profit for a man.

798. Think not the thoughts that depress the heart: nor make the friendship of men who will abandon thee the moment thou art down.

799. The friendship of men that betray in the day of disaster would burn the heart that thinketh on it even at the moment of death.

800. Cultivate with ardour the friendship of the pure; as to men that are unworthy of thee, discard thou their association even if it be by giving them a present.

LXXXI

Intimacy

801. That friendship is called intimacy which submitteth without resenting to all the freedoms taken by the beloved one.

802. To be free and easy with each other, that is the heart of true friendship: and it is the part of worthy men never to resent such familiarities.

803. Of what avail is friendship that is longstanding if it acquiesceth not in the liberties taken in its name?

804. When friends rely on their intimacy and do a thing without leave, the warmhearted will think of their love and will take it in good part.

805. When friends do a thing that paineth thee, account thou it as much to their feeling of perfect oneness with thee as to their ignorance.

806. The perfect friend giveth not up the friend of his heart even though he hath been the cause of his ruin.

807. Behold the man who hath loved dearly and long: he bateth not in his affection for his friend even though he cause him damage frequently.

808. Behold the men who refuse to listen to any imputations against the friend of their bosom: the day that he doth them an injury is a feast-day unto them.33

809. Behold the man who loveth another with a deathless affection: the whole world will hold him dear.

810. Behold the men that alter not in their affection for their old friends: even enemies will look upon them with tenderness.

LXXXII

The Friendship That Injureth

811. Behold the men who look as if they would eat thee up for very love, but who love thee not in their hearts: their friendship is sweeter in the waning than in the waxing.

812. Behold the unworthy wretches who would fawn on thee when it is to their profit and forsake thee when thou canst serve them no more: what mattereth it whether thou gain their friendship or lose it?

813. Behold the men that calculate how much they can gain by a friend: they are of the same class with harlots and thieves.

814. There are men who are like the unbroken horse which throweth down its rider on the battlefield and gallopeth away: it is far better to be lonely than to have such men for friends.

815. Behold the vile men that forsake a trusting friend at the time of his need: it is better not to possess their friendship than to possess it.

816. The enmity of the wise is ten million times better than the intimacy of fools.

817. The hate of enemies is a hundred million times more valuable than the friendship of boon companions and flatterers.

818. Behold the men that will place obstructions on thy path while thou art at thy work: tell them not a word, but drop their friendship little by little.

819. Behold the men whose acts belie their spoken words: it is bitter to recall their fellowship even in dreams.

820. Behold the men that speak sweet in the closet but disparage in the assembly: do not approach them in any degree.

LXXXIII

False Friendship

821. The friendship that an enemy pretendeth is only an anvil whereon to hammer thee when he seeth his opportunity.

822. Behold the men who look like friends but are enemies at heart: their friendship will alter