Seeking The Friendship Of The Wise (By St. Thiruvalluvar) Poem by Rajendran Muthiah

441.Know the value of virtue and the ways of making friendship
with the wise after weighing well and choosing with care.
442.Cherish the friendship of the consummated persons
Who wipe away the ills that came and the ones coming.
443.To cherish the wise and own them as friends
Is the greatest asset of great assets.
444.To have excelling men as cherished friends and proceed
under their counsels is the highest of high powers.
445.As the world goes around with inquirers as its eyes
The king must weigh and consider the wise as his friends.
446.When a king behaves wise with fit persons as friends
A powerful ruler like him fear not the pride of the foes.
447.What power can bring down his fall
if the king has a minister who can rebuke him at times?
448.An unguarded king with no reprimanding counselors
Needs no foes to ruin him.
449.A man who invests not some capital will not get profit.
Those who have no support of friends have no stable life.
450.To forego the friendship of worthy men will cause
Ten times of harm than incurring the wrath of many.