The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings on a wide range of topics from some of the wisest teachers in the ancient world. Many of these sayings are about friendship.

One proverb declares that a friend isn't someone who cares about you only in the good times, when everything is going well: "A friend loves at all times" (Prov 17:17). Another proverb reinforces this thought: "Some friends play at friendship but a true friend sticks closer than one's nearest kin" (Prov 18:24). Loyalty, in fact, is one of the most important responsibilities of a friend: "Do not forsake your friend or the friend of your parent" (Prov 27:10).

It is important for friends to love one another enough to give sincere and honest advice, even if the advice will hurt and others are making only flattering statements. "Well meant are the wounds a friend inflicts, but profuse are the kisses of an enemy" (Prov 27:6).

Several proverbs offer warnings about how to choose friends or how not to choose them: "Make no friends with those given to anger, and do not associate with hotheads, or you may learn their ways and entangle yourself in a snare" (Prov 22:24-25).

Other proverbs say that certain types of behavior should be avoided: "Let your foot be seldom in your neighbor's house, otherwise the neighbor will become weary of you and hate you" (Prov 25:17). Also, "Whoever blesses a neighbor with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, will be counted as cursing" (Prov 27:14) because true friends let one another live in peace.