आरंभगुर्वी क्षयिणी क्रमेण
लघ्वी पुरा दीर्घमुपैति पश्चात् ।
दिनस्य पूर्वार्धपरार्ध भिन्ना
छायेवे मैत्री खलसज्जनानाम् ॥ - भर्तृहरि नीति शतक
Aaarambhagurvee kshayinee kramena
Laghwee puraa deerghamupaiti pashchaat
Dinasya poorvaardhaparaardha bhinnaa
Chhaayeve maitree khalasajjanaanaam
Meaning : In the forenoon the shadow of a person is long as the Sun rises. It gradually becomes shorter until the Sun is at the zenith. In the afternoon the shadow is short to begin with but becomes gradually longer until the Sun sets. The friendship of evil men, like the shadow of the forenoon, is long to start with but gradually fizzles out. On the other hand, the friendship of good men is like the shadow of the afternoon. It is short to start with and gradually becomes longer(closer) over a period.
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