Walking With the Wise Like Entering a Perfumer's Shop

(Proverbs 13:16): "Every prudent man acts with knowledge" - this is one who does not grow proud in his Torah; "but a fool spreads out folly" - this is one who grows proud in his Torah. And likewise it says (Proverbs 13:20): "He who walks with the wise becomes wise." A parable: like one who enters the shop of a perfumer; even though he sells him nothing and buys nothing from him, he goes out and his scent wafts, and the scent of his garments is perfumed, and his scent does not depart from him all day long. Of him it says, "He who walks with the wise becomes wise." "But the companion of fools shall suffer harm" - a parable: like one who enters the shop of a tanner; even though he sells him nothing and buys nothing from him, he goes out, and his scent and the scent of his garments are foul, and the scent and the scent of his garments do not depart from him all day long. Of him it says, "But the companion of fools shall suffer harm." So too, anyone who walks with a wise man - whoever sees him says, "Were this man not wise, he would not be walking with a wise man like that one." And anyone who walks with a fool - whoever sees him says, "Were he not a fool, he would not be walking with the fool." Therefore it is said "But the companion of fools shall suffer harm."