Musar for Avodah Zarah 36:12
אלא לומר לך שאם הלך סופו לעמוד ואם עמד סופו לישב ואם ישב סופו ללוץ ואם לץ עליו הכתוב אומר (משלי ט, יב) אם חכמת חכמת לך ואם לצת לבדך תשא
If he did not walk [in the counsel of the wicked] how could he stand there? And if he did not stand there how could he sit [among them], and if he did not sit among them he could he have scorned! Rather it teaches you that if one walks [in the path of the wicked] he will subsequently stand with them, and if he stands he will at the end sit with them, and if he does sit, he will also come to scorn, and if he does scorn the about him it is written, “If you are wise, you are wise for yourself; If you are a scoffer, you bear it alone” (Proverbs 9: 2).
Mesilat Yesharim
This is the intent of Shlomo's warning: "do not mingle with those who make changes" (Prov.24:21). If a man claims to you: "a person's mind should always be associated with his fellow men" (Ketuvot 17a), reply to him, "this refers to human beings who act like human beings. Not human beings who act like animals." Shlomo warns further: "Go from before a foolish man" (Prov. 14:7). And King David said: "Fortunate is the man that walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers" (Ps. 1:1). Our sages expounded this: "If he walks, he will eventually stand. If he stood, he will eventually sit" (Avodah Zara 18b). And "I did not sit with men of falsehood, neither did I go with hypocrites. I have hated the congregation of evil-doers, and will not sit with the wicked" (Ps. 26:4-5).
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