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Modern interpretation

Because kind-hearted people may not easily abandon someone they have accepted, choosing a friend without careful thought can bring great harm. It is wiser to examine a relationship before becoming deeply tied to it. For example, notice how someone treats others before trusting them with personal matters.

Modern interpretation

A friendship chosen without repeated care and judgment can eventually cause deep suffering. First impressions are not enough for a close bond. For example, ignoring a person's repeated dishonesty may later leave you responsible for debts or damage caused by their choices.

Modern interpretation

Before forming a close friendship, look at a person's character, habits, faults, background, and the people around them. Understanding the whole pattern is wiser than judging one charming moment. For example, notice whether a new friend is honest with family, classmates, and strangers alike.

Modern interpretation

A person with good values who feels ashamed of doing wrong is worth making a real effort to befriend. A sense of responsibility is a sign of trustworthy character. For example, a colleague who admits a mistake and works to fix it may be worth keeping close, even if earning their trust takes time.

Modern interpretation

Choose friends who can warn you before you do wrong, correct you afterward, and understand how life works. Their advice may hurt, but it protects you. For example, a good friend will challenge a dishonest plan instead of cheering you on just to stay popular.

Modern interpretation

Hard times contain one useful lesson: they reveal who your real friends are. Trouble measures loyalty more clearly than easy days do. For example, when a family faces sudden financial difficulty, the people who offer practical help show the depth of their care.

Modern interpretation

Leaving the friendship of foolish people can itself be a gain. A harmful companion can waste judgment, time, and opportunity. For example, stepping away from friends who pressure you into reckless behavior can improve your studies, health, and future.

Modern interpretation

Do not fill your mind with choices that destroy your courage, and do not choose friends who will leave you in trouble. Both discouraging thoughts and unreliable companions weaken you. For example, before joining a risky venture, ask whether the people involved will still stand by you when it becomes difficult.

Modern interpretation

When people abandon us in our worst hour, remembering that betrayal can hurt even long afterward. A friendship that disappears in crisis leaves a lasting wound. For example, someone may remember for years the friend who walked away when help was urgently needed.

Modern interpretation

Stay close to people who are sincere and free from harmful motives, and leave relationships with people whose values repeatedly conflict with what is right. A clean friendship is worth protecting, while a damaging one may be worth ending at a cost. For example, it can be wiser to leave a dishonest group than to keep belonging at the price of your integrity.