अप्रियाण्यपि पथ्यानि ये वदन्ति नृणामिह ।
ते एव सुहृदः प्रोक्ता अन्ये स्युर्नामधारकाः ।।
apriyāṇy api pathyāni ye vadanti nṛṇām iha |
te eva suhṛdaḥ proktā anye syur nāma-dhārakāḥ ||
(Mahāsubhāṣita-saṅgraha: 2199)
“Only those who say to people here that which, although unpleasant, needs to be said are called friends. Others are only bearers of the name [i.e., they are only so-called friends].”