It is one of the severest tests of friendship to tell your friend his faults. So to love a man that you cannot bear to see a stain upon him, and to speak painful truth through loving words, that is friendship.

Summary

This quote highlights the challenge of being a true friend by pointing out that it is difficult to confront a friend about their flaws. It suggests that genuine friendship involves a deep love and concern for a person, to the point where one cannot tolerate seeing any blemishes in them. However, it also emphasizes that friendship entails the courage to communicate painful truths to a friend using compassionate and loving language. Thus, this quote suggests that true friendship involves both the ability to accept a person with all their imperfections and the willingness to help them confront those imperfections.

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