Making Friends
148. The friendship offered by a rior person is plain like water; the friendship offered by a petty person is pleasing like sweet wine. Being friends with a rior person may not be exciting but the interactions are nevertheless beneficial to both sides. Being friends with a petty person may be exciting but may hurt in the end when no more selfish gains are to be made from it.
Scroll 7: Li Ji
149. Walking in the company of good people is like walking into a room full of fragrant lilies. After a while we cannot smell the fragrance as if we have become part of the fragrance. Walking in the company of unsavory people is like walking into a shop that sells salted fish. After a while we cannot smell the salted fish as if we have become part of the smell. Therefore, a rior person must choose carefully whom he befriends.
Scroll 10: Kong Zi Jia Yu
150. Confucius said: “There are three kinds of friendship which are beneficial and three kinds of friendship which are harmful. Being friends with people who are fair-minded, sincere, and knowledgeable, are beneficial. Being friends with people who are deceptive, unprincipled and smooth talking, are harmful.”
Scroll 9: Lun Yu