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Epicurus

Vatican Sayings Fragment or passage 39

Fragment or passage 25 of 61

Canonical reference 39

English

Peter Saint-Andre · vatican-sayings-open

A friend is not one who is constantly seeking some benefit, nor one who never connects friendship with utility; for the former trades kindness for compensation, while the latter cuts off all hope for the future.

Ancient Greek

Peter Saint-Andre · vatican-sayings-open

οὔθʼ ὁ τὴν χρείαν ἐπιζητῶν διὰ παντὸς φίλος, οὔθʼ ὁ μηδέποτε συνάπτων· ὁ μὲν γὰρ καπηλεύει τῇ χάριτι τὴν ἀμοιβήν, ὁ δὲ ἀποκόπτει τὴν περὶ τοῦ μέλλοντος εὐελπιστίαν.

French AI-generated translation, non-official

Codex gpt-5.6-sol · Non-official working translation · 2026-09-11

Un ami n’est ni celui qui recherche constamment quelque avantage, ni celui qui ne lie jamais l’amitié à l’utilité. Le premier échange la bonté contre une rétribution, tandis que le second retranche tout espoir pour l’avenir.

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