هر که با بدان نشیند اگر نیز طبیعت ایشان در او اثر نکند به طریقت ایشان متهم گردد و گر به خراباتی رود به نماز کردن، منسوب شود به خمر خوردن.
رقم بر خود به نادانی کشیدی
که نادان را به صحبت برگزیدی
طلب کردم ز دانایی یکی پند
مرا فرمود با نادان مپیوند
که گر دانای دهری خر بباشی
وگر نادانی ابله تر بباشی
Anyone associating with bad people, although their nature may not infect his own, is supposed to follow their ways to such a degree that if he goes to a tavern to say his prayers, he will be supposed to do so for drinking wine.
Thou hast branded thyself with the mark of ignorance, When thou hast selected an ignoramus for thy companion. I asked some scholars for a piece of advice. They said: ‘Connect thyself not with an ignorant man, For if thou be learned, thou wilt be an ass in course of time And if unlearned thou wilt become a greater fool.’