THE FAITHFUL FRIEND

From "Ecclesiasticus", VI, XXXVII

A FAITHFUL friend is a strong defense,
And he that hath found such hath found a treasure.
Change not thy friend for any good thing;
Neither a faithful brother for the gold of Ophir.
Forsake not the old friend,
For the new is not comparable to him:
For a new friend is as new wine,
But when it is old thou shalt drink it with pleasure.
Nothing doth countervail a faithful friend;
Yea, his excellency is beyond price.

For some man is a friend of his own occasion
And will not abide in the day of trouble.
And there is a friend who, being turned to enmity and strife,
Will discover thy reproach.
Again, some friend is a companion at the table,
Yet will he not con tinue in the day of thy affliction.
In thy prosperity he will be as thyself;
But if thou be brought low, he will be against thee,
And will hide himself from thy face.
Every friend will say, I also am his friend:
But there is a friend who is a friend in name only.
Is there not a grief in it unto death,
When a companion and friend is turned ton enmity?

But a faithful friend is the medicine of life;
And they that fear the Lord shall find him.
Yea, whoso feareth the Lord shall direct his friendship aright;
For as he is, even so also shall be his friend.

Edward Young