Jā 473 Mittāmittajātakaṁ
The 16 Qualities of Foes and Friends
The Bodhisatta explains to King Brahmadatta the sixteen qualities of a foe, and the sixteen qualities of a friend.
105. Na naṁ umhayate disvā, na ca naṁ paṭinandati,
Cakkhūni cassa na dadāti, paṭilomañ-ca vattati.
Having seen you he does not smile,
Nor does he give you a welcome,
He does not give you attention,
He surely speaks out against you.
106. Amitte tassa bhajati, mitte tassa na sevati,
Vaṇṇakāme nivāreti, akkosante pasaṁsati.
Your enemies he entertains,
But with your friends he does not mix,
He stops those who like to praise you,
He commends those who abuse you.
107. Guyhañ-ca tassa nakkhāti, tassa guyhaṁ na gūhati,
Kammaṁ tassa na vaṇṇeti, paññassa nappasaṁsati.
His secret he does not tell you,
But your secret he does not hide,
He does not praise what you have done,
Your wisdom he does not commend.
108. Abhave nandati tassa, bhave tassa na nandati,
Accheraṁ bhojanaṁ laddhā tassa nuppajjate sati,
Tato naṁ nānukampati, aho! so pi labheyy’ ito.
He takes joy in your personal loss,
He takes no joy in your success,
Having received delicious food
He does not tell you where it is,
Yes! he believes that he will gain
Not having compassion for you.
109. Iccete soḷasākārā amittasmiṁ patiṭṭhitā,
Ye hi amittaṁ jāneyya disvā sutvā ca Paṇḍito.
These are the sixteen conditions
That are established in a foe,
Thus, having seen and heard these things,
The Wise can know who their foes are.
110. Pavutthaṁ cassa sarati, āgataṁ abhinandati,
Tato kelāyito hoti vācāya paṭinandati.
When away he remembers you,
On return he greatly rejoices,
Therefore he has fondness for you
And welcomes you with kindly words.
111. Mitte tasseva bhajati, amitte tassa na sevati,
Akkosante nivāreti, vaṇṇakāme pasaṁsati.
Your friends he likes to entertain,
But with your foes he does not mix,
He stops all those who abuse you,
He commends those who like to praise.
112. Guyhañ-ca tassa akkhāti, tassa guyhañ-ca gūhati,
Kammañ-ca tassa vaṇṇeti, paññaṁ tassa pasaṁsati.
His secret he will tell to you,
But your secret he surely hides,
He speaks in praise of what you’ve done,
And your wisdom he does commend.
113. Bhave ca nandati tassa, abhave tassa na nandati,
Accheraṁ bhojanaṁ laddhā tassa uppajjate sati.
Tato naṁ anukampati, aho! so pi labheyy’ ito.
He takes great joy in your success,
But he takes no joy in your loss,
Having received delicious food
He surely tells you where it is,
Yes! he believes he will gain
From having compassion for you.
114. Iccete soḷasākārā mittasmiṁ suppatiṭṭhitā,
Ye hi mittañ-ca jāneyya, disvā sutvā ca Paṇḍito.
These are the sixteen conditions
That are established in a friend,
Thus, having seen and heard these things,
The Wise can know who their friends are.
