Part 8 - Mittatavagga - Friendship

66. Asant'assa piya honti
sante na kurute piyam
asantam dhammam roceti
tam parabhavato mukham.

To be in communion with the bad,
and choose the ways of the bad,
to have no friends among the good,
this is a source of suffering.

67. Sabbhir eva samasetha
sabbhi kubbetha santhavam
satam saddhammam aññaya
pañña labbhati nannato.

Consort only with the good,
come together with the good.
To learn the teaching of the good
gives wisdom like nothing else can.

68. Putimaccham kusaggena
yo naro upanayhati
kusa pi puti vayanti
evam balupasevana.

If one strings a piece of putrid fish
on a blade of kusa grass,
the grass will soon smell putrid too:
the same with one who follows a fool.

69. Tagarañca palasena
yo naro upanayhati
patta pi surabhi vayanti
evam dhirupasevana.

If one wraps frankincense,
in any ordinary kind of leaf,
the leaf will soon smell sweet too:
the same with one who follows the wise.

70. Tasma palasaputass'eva
natva sampatam attano
asante nupaseveyya
sante seveyya pandito.

Remembering the example of the leaf,
and understanding the results,
one should seek companionship
with the wise, never with the bad.

71. Sattho pathavato mittam
mata mittam sake ghare
sahayo atthajatassa
hoti mittam punappunam
sayam katani puññani
tam mittam samparayikam.

A companion is a traveler's friend,
a mother is a friend at home,
one who helps in time of need
is a good and steady friend.
And the good deeds done by oneself
are one's true friends in time to come.

72. Upakaro ca yo mitto
yo ca mitto sukhe dukkhe
atth'akkhayi ca yo mitto
yo ca mittanukampako.

A friend who always lends a hand,
a friend in both sorrow and joy,
a friend who offers good counsel,
a friend who sympathises too.

73. Ete pi mitte cattaro
iti viññaya pandito
sakkaccam payirupaseyya
mata puttam va orasam.

These are the four kinds of true friends:
one who is wise, having understood,
will always cherish and serve such friends
just as a mother tends her only child.

74. Kalyanamitto yo bhikkhu
sappatisso sagaravo
karam mittanam vacanam
sampajano patissato
papune anupubbena
sabbasamyojanakkhayam.

The monk who has a lovely friend,
who pays respect and deference to him,
and acts as his friend advises,
with mindfulness and comprehension clear,
will in time be freed from bonds;
all his fetters will be destroyed.

75. Abbhatitasahayassa
atitagatasatthuno
n'atthi etadisam mittam
yatha kayagata sati.

For one whose friend has passed away,
for one whose teacher no more lives,
there is no other friend in this world
like mindfulness of the body.