81. Familiarity

Imtimate friendship is that which cannot in the least be injured by (things done through the) right (of longstanding intimacy).

The constituents of friendship are (things done through) the right of intimacy; to be pleased with such a right is the duty of the wise.

Of what avail is long-standing friendship, if friends do not admit as their own actions done through the right of intimacy ?

If friends, through the right of friendship, do (anything) without being asked, the wise will be pleased with them on account of its desirability.

If friends should perform what is painful, understand that it is owing not only to ignorance, but also to the strong claims of intimacy.

Those who stand within the limits (of true friendship) will not even in adversity give up the intimacy of long-standing friends.

Those who have (long) stood in the path of affection will not give it up even if their friends cause (them) their ruin.

To those who understand that by which they should not listen to (tales about) the faults of their friends, that is a (profitable) day on which the latter may commit a fault.

They will be loved by the world, who have not forsaken the friendship of those with whom they have kept up an unbroken long-standing intimacy.

Even enemies will love those who have never changed in their affection to their long-standing friends.