A good companion is better than a fortune, for a fortune cannot purchase those elements of character which make companionship a blessing. The best companion is one who is wiser and better than ourselves, for we are inspired by his wisdom and virtue to nobler deeds. Greater wisdom and goodness than we possess lifts us higher mentally and morally.

“A man is known by the companion he keeps.” It is always true. Companionship of a high order is powerful to develop character. Character makes character in the associations of life faster than anything else. Purity begets purity, like begets like; and this fact makes the choice of companion in early life more important even than that of teachers and guardians

It is true that we cannot always choose all of our companions, some are thrust upon us by business or the social relations of life, we do not choose them, we do not enjoy them; and yet, we have to associate with them more or less. The experience is not altogether without compensation, if there be principle enough in us to bear the strain. Still, in the main, choice of companions can be made, and must be made. It is not best or necessary for a young person to associate with “Tom, Dick, and Harry” without forethought or purpose. Some fixed rules about the company he or she keeps must be observed. The subject should be uttermost in the thoughts, and canvassed often

Companionship is education, good or not; it develops manhood or womanhood, high or low; it lifts soul upward or drags it downward; it minister to virtue or vice. There is no half way work about its influence. If it ennobles, it does grandly, if it demoralizes, it doest it devilishly. It saves or destroys lustily. Nothing in the world is surer than this. Sow virtue, and the harvest will be virtue, Sow vice, and the harvest will be vice. Good companionships help us to sow virtue; evil companionships help us to sow vice.

一個好友勝過一筆財富。人性中有一些品質會讓友誼變成一種幸福的事，而金錢買不到這些品質。最好的朋友是那些比我們更睿智和更出色的人，他們的智慧和美德會激發我們去做更高尚的事情。他們有著比我們更多的智慧和更高尚的情操，可以在精神上和道德上將我們帶入一個新的境界。

“觀其友而知其人”，這句話總是對的。高層次的交往會有力地塑造一個人的性情。在交往中，品性對品性的影響勝過其它任何因素。純潔的品格會培養純潔的品格，愛好會引發相同的愛好。這些表明，在年少時，選擇朋友甚至比選擇老師和監護人還要重要。

不可否認，有些朋友總是我們不能選擇的。有些是工作和社會關系強加于我們的。我們沒有選擇他們，也不喜歡他們，可是我們不得不或多或少地與他們交往。不過，只要我們心中有足夠的原則來承擔壓力，與他們交往也并非毫無益處。在大多數情況下，我們還是可以選擇朋友的，而且，必須選擇。一個年輕人毫無前瞻性，也無目的性地隨意與張三李四交往，是不好的，也是沒必要的。他必須遵守一些確定的交友原則，應當把它們擺在心中最高的位置，并經常加以審視。