do not justify anger, one that is of restless mind,
one that quarrels without cause, that sinful bloke
who feels no scruple in deserting well-meaning friends,
that wretch who is always mindful of his own interests
and who, O king, quarrels with friends when those
do him a very slight injury or inflict on him a wrong
unconsciously, one who acts like a foe but speaks like
a friend, one who is of perverse perceptions, one
who is blind (to his own good), one who never takes
delight in what is good for himself or others, should
be avoided. One who drinks alcoholic liquors,
one who hates others, one who is wrathful, one who
is destitute of compassion, one who is pained at the
sights of other’s happiness, one who injures
friends, one who is always engaged in taking the lives
of living creatures, one who is ungrateful, one who
is vile, should be avoided. Alliances (of friendship)
should never be formed with any of them. Similarly,
no alliance (of friendship) should be formed with
him who is ever intent upon marking the faults of
others. Listen now to me as I indicate the persons
with whom alliances (of friendship) may be formed.
They that are well-born, they that are possessed of
eloquence and politeness of speech, they that are endued
with knowledge and science, they that are possessed
of merit and other accomplishments, they that are
free from covetousness, they that are never exhausted
by labour, they that are good to their friends, they
that are grateful, they that are possessed of varied
information and knowledge, they that are destitute
of avarice, they that are possessed of agreeable qualities,
they that are firm in truth, they that have subdued
their senses, they that are devoted to athletic and
other exercises, they that are of good families, they
that are perpetuators of their races,[488] they that
are destitute of faults, they that are possessed of
fame, should be accepted by kings for forming alliances
(of friendship) with them, They, again, O monarch,
who become pleased and contented if one behaves with
them according to the best of one’s powers, they
who never get angry on occasions that do not justify
anger, they who never become displeased without sufficient
cause, those persons who are well conversant with
the science of Profit and who, even when annoyed, succeed
in keeping their minds tranquil, they who devote themselves
to the service of friends at personal sacrifice, they
who are never estranged from friends but who continue
unchanged (in their attachment) like a red blanket
made of wool (which does not easily change its colour),[489]
they who never disregard, from anger, those that are
poor, they who never dishonour youthful women by yielding
to lust and loss of judgment, they who never point
out wrong paths to friends, they who are trustworthy,
they who are devoted to the practice of righteousness,
they who regard gold and brick-bats with an equal
eye, they that adhere with firmness to friends and
well-wishers, they who muster their own people and