HitopadeśaAnushtubh
दुर्जनेन समं सख्यं वैरं चापि न कारयेत् । उष्णो दहति चाङ्गारः शीतः कृष्णायते करम् ॥
दुर्जनेनwith a wicked person
समम्together / with
सख्यम्friendship
वैरम्enmity / hostility
चand
अपिeven / also
नnot
कारयेत्one should bring about / form
उष्णःwhen hot
दहति(it) burns
चand (second occurrence, joined in cāṅgāraḥ)
अङ्गारःthe coal / ember
शीतःwhen cold
कृष्णायतेblackens / makes black
करम्the hand
One should cultivate neither friendship nor even enmity with the wicked. They are like a coal: when hot it burns the hand, and when cold it blackens it.
wisdomcompanyethics