Know if thou hast a friend Whom thou trustest well And thou wilt good from him get, Thou must blend thoughts with him, And exchange gifts, Go often and meet him. If thou hast another Whom thou trustest little Yet wilt good from him get, Kindly shalt thou talk to him, But think deceitfully And give lie back for lie. That is further from him Whom thou trustest little And whose mind thou suspectest, Thou shalt smile at him And speak contrary to thy thoughts, The reward should be like the gift. I once was young, I travelled alone, And missed my way; I thought myself wealthy When I another met; Man is the delight of man. Liberal and valiant Men live best; They seldom harbour grief; But unwise men Fear everything; The miser always longs for gifts. My clothes Gave I to two wood-men (men of the forest) In the field; They thought themselves men, When they got the garments; Ashamed is a naked man. The fir withers That stands on a fenced field; Neither bark nor foliage shelter it; Thus is a man Whom no one loves; Why should he live long? Hotter than fire Burns between bad friends Friendship for five days; But when the sixth comes It is quenched And all the friendship vanishes. Much at once Should one not give; With little you often get praise; With half a loaf And a half-filled cup I got a companion. Small are sand grains, Small are drops of water, Small are men’s minds; For all men Were not made equally wise; Men are everywhere by halves.[310] Middling wise Should every man be, Never too wise; Happiest live Those men Who know many things well. Middling wise Should every man be, Never too wise; For the heart of a wise man Is seldom glad If its owner is all-wise. Middling wise Should every man be Never too wise; No man ought to Know his fate beforehand, Then his mind is freest from sorrow. Brand is kindled from brand Till it is burnt out; Fire is kindled from fire; A man gets knowledge By talk with a man But becomes wilful by self-conceit.