In plain words
You must get me out of the case,’ he asked. That first friend told him: ‘I do not know what wrong you have done, what deed you have taken part in; at such a time, if I come and give evidence, they may take me too for one who took part in it, and punish me too. So I will stay at home and give whatever kind of evidence you want, but I will not come to court,’ he said. He went to the second friend and asked, ‘You at least must help me.’ He said, ‘Friend! I will say whatever you ask me to say. But I will come as far as the court; I cannot come up to the witness box and speak,’ he said. Very well! When he reached the third friend: “My dear! The very troubles that befall you are mine, and my very troubles are yours. In a time of trouble it is wrong to weigh good and bad. So for your protection I will say whatever you ask me to say, and I will come wherever you ask me to come,” he said. Now it is clear to us that among the three friends the third is the best. Our life too has three such friends. After we pass away, a court is set up there to weigh our good and bad. But at that time, wealth, gold, possessions, vehicles and the like give no evidence at all. They stay right at home and send him off, saying, ‘You go on alone, sir, as far as the burning ground.’ Then friends and relatives, saying, ‘We will come as far as the court,’ all go as far as the burning ground. There, whether they cover him over or burn him to ashes, all of them turn round and come back. But the merit a man has earned, the good deeds he has done, go right along with him, and wherever he goes they keep helping him. Wealth, gold, possessions, vehicles and the like are our first friend. The second friend is none other than relatives; the third friend, none other than merit. To us, this wealth, these relatives, will never on any day be the ones to give us the help we need. In this world, they may keep together with one another even as far as this body goes, but no further; beyond that, the friend called merit alone stays with us and stands by us as a fitting support even for our rebirth. That is why they said: