一個人想買一頭驢子，但又不知道驢子是否勤勞能幹，於是就和賣主達成協議，等他試驗之後再決定是否購買。他把驢子帶回家後就把他和其他驢子一起喂養。這頭驢看見別的驢子都躲得遠遠的，唯獨和一頭最是好吃懶做的驢子呆在一起。
看到這些，這人就給驢子帶上籠頭還把他送回到原先的主人身邊。主人問他： “在這麼短的時間內，真的可以試驗出結果嗎？ ”這人回答說： “我已經不需要試驗了，隻要看他挑選什麼樣的夥伴，就知道他是什麼品行了。 ”
看其友知其人。
A Mao pur Ass，as ow he should try out the animal befht him. He took the Ass home and put him iraw-yard with his other Asses，upon whiew ahe others ahe o was most idle aer of them all.
Seeing this，the man put a halter on him and led him back to his owner. On being asked how，in so short a time，he could have made a trial of him， he answered，“I do rial；I know that he will be just the same as the one he panion.”
A man is known by the pany he keeps.