One should be a lover of the Dhamma, a bearer of learning, one who asks questions, and should respectfully sit close to those who are virtuous and learned.
If one sees a wise person who points out one’s faults, as one who reveals hidden treasure, who reproves and has wisdom, one should associate with such a wise person; associating with such a one, it goes better, not worse.
At all times, one who associates with the base becomes base; associating with equals one does not decline; associating with the noble one quickly rises; therefore one should associate with those higher than oneself.
One should associate only with those who have faith, avoid those without faith, and sit close to those with faith, as one who wants water approaches a pool.
The wise should not make friends with the slanderer, the angry, the stingy and the one who revels in possessions; for association with the wicked is base.
One should associate with one who associates with oneself, not with one who does not; whoever does not associate with one who associates with him lacks the quality of a good person.
One should keep company with the good and become intimate with the good; having fully understood the true Dhamma of the good, one is liberated from all suffering.