Wealth

Poem : 811

Though evil men should all-absorbing friendship show,
Their love had better die away than grow.

Explanation :
The decrease of friendship with those who look as if they would eat you up (through excess of love) while they are really destitute of goodness is far better than its increase.

Poem : 812

What though you gain or lose friendship of men of alien heart,
Who when you thrive are friends, and when you fail depart?

Explanation :
Of what avail is it to get or lose the friendship of those who love when there is gain and leave when there is none ?

Poem : 813

These are alike: the friends who ponder friendship's gain
Those who accept whate'er you give, and all the plundering train.

Explanation :
Friendship who calculate the profits (of their friendship), prostitutes who are bent on obtaining their gains, and thieves are (all) of the same character.

Poem : 814

A steed untrained will leave you in the tug of war;
Than friends like that to dwell alone is better far.

Explanation :
Solitude is more to be desired than the society of those who resemble the untrained horses which throw down (their riders) in the fields of battle.

Poem : 815

'Tis better not to gain than gain the friendship profitless
Of men of little minds, who succour fails when dangers press.

Explanation :
It is far better to avoid that to contract the evil friendship of the base who cannot protect (their friends) even when appointed to do so.

Poem : 816

Better ten million times incur the wise man's hate,
Than form with foolish men a friendship intimate.

Explanation :
The hatred of the wise is ten-million times more profitable than the excessive intimacy of the fool.

Poem : 817

From foes ten million fold a greater good you gain,
Than friendship yields that's formed with laughers vain.

Explanation :
What comes from enemies is a hundred million times more profitable than what comes from the friendship of those who cause only laughter.

Poem : 818

Those men who make a grievous toil of what they do
On your behalf, their friendship silently eschew.

Explanation :
Gradually abandon without revealing (beforehand) the friendship of those who pretend inability to carry out what they (really) could do.

Poem : 819

E'en in a dream the intercourse is bitterness
With men whose deeds are other than their words profess.

Explanation :
The friendship of those whose actions do not agree with their words will distress (one) even in (one's) dreams.

Poem : 820

In anywise maintain not intercourse with those,
Who in the house are friends, in hall are slandering foes.

Explanation :
Avoid even the least approach to a contraction of friendship with those who would love you in private but ridicule you in public.