Italian proverbs- chi va con lo zoppo

Here's our Italian proverb: chi va con lo zoppo impara a zoppicare- he or she who goes with the lame learns how to limp. This would describe the supposed effects of taking on the negative qualities of people one associates with. I tend to agree with this, although most people will eventually shy away from those who have persistent negative habits they themselves don't have, especially if those with the bad habits show no intention of changing.

An amusing modern update of the proverb says that chi va con lo zoppo arriva in ritardo- he who goes with the lame will get there late. If you know Italian and Italian proverbs well, here are some more of these funny versions, technically known as anti-proverbs, which I rather enjoyed.