Remember

Remember

these few precepts 

in thy memory.

See thou character, 

give thy thoughts no tongue;

Be familiar but

by no means vulgar.

Those friends thou hast

and their adoption tried

grapple them to thy soul

with hoops of steel.

But do not dull thy palm

with entertainment

of each new-hatched

unfledged comrade.

Beware of entrance to

a quarrel

but being in one

bear it what the opposed

may beware of thee.

Give every man thy ear

but few thy voice.

take each man's censure

but reserve thy judgment.

Costly thy habit

as thy purse can buy

but not expressed in fancy,

rich not gaudy, 

for the apparel often

proclaims the man. 

Neither a borrower

nor a lender be.

For loan oft loses

both itself and friend

and borrowing dulls 

the edge of husbandry. 

(Anonymous)

(I do not remember the name of the poet)