26. There抯 no need to care too much if there are wicked ones in neighborhood or harmful friends in social contact.

①，會不必無損友②，惟在自持者兩得之。

【中文注釋】

① 惡鄰：專事凶橫霸道、無事生非、尋釁淩辱的壞鄰居。

② 損友：對自己有害的朋友；對自己的品行產生不良影響的朋友。與“益友”相對。語自《論語·季氏篇》的“益者三友，損者三友：友直﹑友諒﹑友多聞，益矣；友便辟、友善柔、友便佞，損矣”。

【今文解譯】

選擇居住地不必非要沒有惡鄰才行，與人交往也不必非要沒有損友才行。隻要能夠把握好自己，惡鄰和損友一樣都是可以使你有所受益的。

【English Translation】

When choosing a place to reside, it is unnecessary to take as a decisive factor where there must be no wicked ones in neighborhood. Similarly, when engaged in social communications, it is unnecessary to ascertain that the persons whom you are to meet should be of no evil. If you only bear yourself with fortitude, you will not slip in benefiting from the both cases.

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