The best of your brothers is one who rushes towards good and...
The best of your brothers is one who rushes towards good and pulls you towards it, and enjoins you to righteousness and assists you in it. 18ـ خيرُ إخوانِكَ مَنْ سارَعَ إلَى الخَيرِ وجَذَبَكَ إليه، وأمَرَكَ بِالبِرِّ وَأعانَكَ علَيْهِ. The best of your brothers is the one who exhorts you to speak the truth by his own veracity and compels you to perform the best deeds by his own good actions.
19ـ خَيرُ إخوانِكَ مَنْ دَعاكَ إلى صِدْقِ المَقالِ بِصِدقِ مَقالِهِ ونَدَبَكَ إلى أفْضلِ الأعمالِ بِحُسنِ أعمالهِ. The best of your brothers is the one who shows you the path of guidance, makes you acquire piety and prevents you from following your lowly desires. 20ـ خَيرُ إخوانِكَ مَنْ دَلَّكَ على هُدىً، وألبَسَكَ(أكْسَبَكَ) تُقىً، وَصَدَّكَ عَنْ إتّباعِ هَوىً. The best of your brothers is the one who assists you financially [in your time of need]. 21ـ خَيرُ إخوانِكَ مَنْ واساكَ.
Many a brother has not been born to your mother. 22ـ رُبَّ أخ لَمْ يَلِدْهُ اُمُّكَ. The friend of an ignorant person is troubled and afflicted. 23ـ صَديقُ الجاهلِ مَتْعُوبٌ مَنكُوبٌ. Accompany your brothers with kindness and cover their offences with forgiveness. 24ـ صاحِبِ الإخوانَ بالإحسانِ، وتَغَمَّدْ ذُنُوبَهُم بالغُفْرانِ. Accompany the intelligent and you will benefit, turn away from this world and you will be safe. 25ـ صاحبِ العُقلاءَ تَغْنَمْ وأعرِضْ عنِ الدُّنيا تَسلَمْ.
Accompany the intelligent, associate with the learned and overcome your vain desires, [by this] you will join the company of the Exalted Assembly. 26ـ صاحبِ العُقلاءَ وجالِسِ العُلَماءَ، وأغْلِبِ الهوى، تُرافِقِ المَلأ الأعلى. Accompany the wise, associate with the forbearing and turn away from this world - you shall dwell in the Garden of the Abode. 27ـ صاحبِ الحُكَماءَ، وجالِسِ الحُلَماءَ، وأعرِضْ عَنِ الدُّنيا تَسْكُنْ جَنَّةَ المأوى.
Association with the wicked leads one to become evil, just like the wind - when it passes by a foul smell, it carries the stench. 28ـ صُحبَةُ الأشرارِ تُكْسِبُ الشَّرَّ كالرّيحِ إذا مَرَّتْ بالنَّتِنِ حَمَلَتْ نَتِناً. Accompanying a fool is torment for the soul. 29ـ صُحْبَةُ الأحْمَقِ عذابُ الرُّوحِ. Accompanying a wise friend enlivens the soul. 30ـ صُحْبَةُ الوَليِّ اللَّبيبِ حَياةُ الرُّوحِ. The friend of a fool is in distress. 31ـ صَديقُ الأحمقِ في تَعَب.
The friend of an ignorant person is exposed to harm. 32ـ صَديقُ الجاهِلِ مَعْرَضٌ لِلْعَطَبِ. Your friend is one who forbids you [from evil] and your enemy is one who entices you [to Perform evil].