do not befriend those beneath you
Proverb from the Analects of Confucius, warning against associating with people of lower character or ability. Used in classical or literary contexts.
"Do not befriend those beneath you" is a passage from the Analects.
Standard kanji form of the proverb, using なかれ.
Variant with 勿れ for なかれ; less common but still encountered.
From the Analects of Confucius (論語). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the phrase is conventionally associated with Confucian teachings on friendship and moral self-cultivation.