“Whoever touches pitch

Gets dirty.

Whoever associates

With a proud person

Becomes like him.

Do not lift a weight

Too heavy for you.

Do not associate

With one mightier than you.

Do not associate

With one richer than you.

How can the clay pot associate

With the iron kettle?

The pot will strike against it.

The clay pot will be smashed.”

Be careful in your life. Do not touch the black pitch or you will get dirty. If you associate with proud people, you will become proud like them. Do not lift things that are too heavy for you. Do not associate with someone richer than you are. Otherwise you will be like the poor clay pot that gets smashed by the rich iron kettle, which is reminiscent of one of Aesop’s fables.