Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

Good Etiquette

Good Etiquette الأدب

1 . Good etiquette is one of the two distinguishing merits.

1 ـ اَلأدَبُ أحَدُ الْحَسَبَيْنِ

2 . Good etiquette in a person is like a tree whose roots are the intellect.

2 ـ اَلأدبُ في الإنْسانِ كَشَجَرَة أصْلُها العَقلُ

3 . The noblest of personal merits is good etiquette.

3 ـ أشرفُ حَسَب حُسْنُ الأدبِ

4 . The best etiquette is preserving one’s magnanimity.

4 ـ أفْضلُ الأدبِ حِفْظُ المُرُوءَةِ

5 . The best etiquette is that [in] which you start with yourself.

5 ـ أفضلُ الأدبِ ما بَدَأْتَ بِهِ نَفْسَكَ

6 . The best etiquette is for a person to stay within his limits and not go beyond his rank.

6 ـ أفضلُ الأدبِ أنْ يَقِفَ الإنسانُ عِندَ حَدِّهِ ولايَتَعدَّى قَدْرَهُ

7 . The best of etiquettes is that which stops you from what is forbidden.

7 ـ أحسنُ الآدابِ ما كَفَّكَ عَنِ المَحارِمِ

8 . The noblest merit is good etiquette.

8 ـ أكرَمُ حَسَب حُسْنُ الأدبِ

9 . The people of intellect are in need of good etiquette just as the plants thirst for rain.

9 ـ إنَّ بِذَوي العُقُولِ مِنَ الحاجَةِ إلى الأدبِ، كَما يَظْمَأُ الزَّرْعُ إلَى المَطَرِ

10 . People are more in need of good etiquette than of silver and gold.

10 ـ إنَّ النَّاس إلى صالحِ الأدبِ أحْوَجُ مِنْهُمْ إلى الفِضَّةِ والذَّهبِ

11 . Good etiquette is the best merit.

11 ـ الأدبُ أفْضَلُ حَسَب

12 . Etiquettes are renewed vestments.

12 ـ الآدابُ حُلَلٌ مُجَدَّدَةٌ

13 . Good etiquette is the best trait.

13 ـ الأدبُ أحسنُ سَجِيَّة

14 . Etiquette is a reflection of the intellect.

14 ـ الأدبُ صُورَةُ العَقلِ

15 . Good etiquette is the perfection of man.

15 ـ الأدبُ كَمالُ الرَّجُلِ

16 . You are gauged by your etiquette so beautify it with forbearance.

16 ـ إنَّكَ مُقَوَّمٌ بأدَبِكَ، فَزَيِّنْهُ بالحِلمِ

17 . Indeed you are more in need of acquiring good etiquette than you are of acquiring silver and gold.

17 ـ إنّكُمْ إلى اكْتِسابِ الأدَبِ أحوَجُ مِنْكُم إلَى اكْتِسابِ الفِضَّةِ وَالذَّهبِ

18 . Through good etiquette brainpower is sharpened.

18 ـ بِالأدبِ تُشْحَذُ الفِطَنُ

19 . The worst attribute is bad etiquette.

19 ـ بِئسَ النَّسَبُ سُوءُ الأدَبِ

20 . The fruit of good etiquette is good character.

20 ـ ثَمَرةُ الأدبِ حُسْنُ الخُلْقِ

21 . Good etiquette covers up bad lineage.

21 ـ حُسْنُ الأدَبِ يَستُرُ قُبْحَ النَّسَبِ

22 . Good etiquette is the best supporter and finest companion.

22 ـ حُسنُ الأدبِ خَيْرُ مُوارز وأفضلُ قَرين

23 . Good etiquette is the best attribute and noblest means.

23 ـ حُسنُ الأدبِ أفْضلُ نَسَب وأشرَفُ سَبب

24 . The value of good etiquette is nobler than the value of lineage.

24 ـ حَسَبُ الأدبِ أشرَفُ مِنْ حَسَبِ النَّسَبِ

25 . The best thing that parents can bequeath to their children is good etiquette.

25 ـ خَيْرُ ما وَرَّثَ الآباءُ الأبناءَ الأدبُ

26 . The means of purifying [one’s] character is good etiquette.

26 ـ سَبَبُ تَزْكِيَةِ الأخلاقِ حُسْنُ الأدَبِ

27 . The seeker of good etiquette is wiser than the seeker of gold.

27 ـ طالبُ الأدَبِ أحزَمُ مِنْ طالِبِ الذَّهبِ

28 . Seeking [good] etiquette is the embellishment of [one’s] honourable lineage.

28 ـ طَلَبُ الأدَبِ جَمالُ الحَسَبِ

29 . Adopt good etiquette for it is the embellishment of honourable lineage.

29 ـ علَيكَ بِالأدبِ فإنَّهُ زَيْنُ الحَسَبِ

30 . A little good etiquette is better than many noble ancestors.

30 ـ قليلُ الأدَبِ خيْرٌ مِن كَثيرِ النَّسَبِ

31 . Everything requires intellect and intellect requires etiquette.

31 ـ كُلُّ شَيْء يَحْتاجُ إلىَ العَقْلِ، والعَقلُ يَحتاجُ إلىَ الأدبِ

32 . Every distinction is limited except intelligence and good etiquette.

32 ـ كُلُّ الحَسَبِمُتَناه إلاّ العَقْلَ والأدَبَ

33 . In order to discipline yourself, it is enough that you keep away from [doing] that which you hate from others.

33 ـ كَفاكَ مُؤدِّباً لِنَفْسِكَ تَجَنُّبُ ما كَرِهْتَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ

34 . Good etiquette will not be effective until it is accompanied with intellect.

34 ـ لَنْ يَنْجََعَ الأدَبُ حَتّى يُقارِنَهُ العَقْلُ

35 . One whose etiquette decreases, his vices increase.

35 ـ مَنْ قَلَّ أدَبُهُ كَثُرَتْ مَساوِيهِ

36 . One who is abased because of his poor etiquette will not be elevated by his noble lineage.

36 ـ مَنْ وَضَعَهُ دَناءَةُ أدَبِهِ لَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ شَرَفُ حَسَبِهِ

37 . One whose etiquette is bad, his honourable lineage gets tarnished.

37 ـ مَنْ ساءَ أدَبُهُ شانَ حَسَبَهُ

38 . One who is lowered by his lineage is elevated by his good etiquette.

38 ـ مَنْ قَعَدَ بِه حَسَبُهُ نَهَضَ بِهِ أدَبُهُ

39 . One who is held back by his lack of etiquette will not be pushed forward by the weight of his honourable lineage.

39 ـ مَنْ أخَّرَهُ عَدَمُ أدَبِهِ لَمْ يُقَدِّمْهُ كَثافَةُ حَسَبِهِ

40 . Whoever is keen about [acquiring] good etiquette, his vices will decrease.

40 ـ مَنْ كَلَفَ بِالأدَبِ قَلَّتْ مَساوِيهِ

41 . One who is infatuated with [good] etiquette has adorned himself.

41 ـ مَنِاسْتُهْتِرَ بالأدَبِ فَقَدْزانَ نَفْسَهُ

42 . One whose etiquette augments his intellect is like a [lone] shepherd among many sheep.

42 ـ مَنْ زادَ أدَبُهُ على عَقْلِهِ كانَ كالرَّاعي بَيْنَ غَنَم كَثيرَة

43 . One whose etiquette is not his best quality, his simplest condition will be his destruction.

43 ـ مَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ أفْضلَ خِلالِهِ أدبُهُ كانَ أهْوَنَ أحوالِهِ عَطَبُهُ

44 . One who is not reformed by the discipline of Allah cannot become reformed through self-discipline.

44 ـ مَنْ لَمْ يَصْلُحْ على أدَبِ اللّهِ لَمْ يَصْلُحْ على أدَبِ نَفْسِهِ

45 . The best companion of the intellect is etiquette.

45 ـ نِعمَ قَرينُ العقلِ الأدَبُ

46 . The best attribute is good etiquette.

46 ـ نِعْمَ النَسَّبُ حُسْنُ الأدَبِ

47 . There is no merit like good etiquette.

47 ـ لاحَسَبَ كالأدبِ

48 . There is no adornment like good etiquette.

48 ـ لازينَةَ كالآدابِ

49 . There is no heritage like etiquette.

49 ـ لاميراثَ كالأدَبِ

50 . There is no vestment like good etiquette.

50 ـ لاحُلَلَ كالآدابِ

51 . There is no honour with bad etiquette.

51 ـ لاشرَفَ مَعَ سُوءِ أدَب

52 . One who has a dirty tongue has no etiquette.

52 ـ لاأدبَ لِسَيّي النُّطْقِ

53 . There is no rank higher than good etiquette.

53 ـ لاحَسَبَ أرفَعُ مِنَ الأدبِ

54 . He who has no etiquette has no intelligence.

54 ـ لاعَقْلَ لِمَنْ لا أدَبَ لَهُ

55 . He who lacks good etiquette and inclines towards idle play does not become a leader.

55 ـ لايُرَأَّسُ مَنْ خَلا عَنِ الأدَبِ وصَبا إلى اللَّعَبِ

56 . There are three things which one always needs to seek more of: Good etiquette, avoidance of suspicion, and abstinence from all that is forbidden.

56 ـ ثلاثٌ لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِنَّ مُسْتَزادٌ حُسْنُ الأدَبِ ومُجانَبَةُ الرَّيبِ، والكَفُّ عَنْ المَحارِمِ

Harm And Preventing Harm

Harm and Preventing Harm الأذى وكف الأذى

1 . Harm breeds hatred.

1 ـ اَلأذى يَجْلِبُ القِلى

2 . One who prevents himself from harming [others] will not be opposed [or hated] by anyone.

2 ـ مَنْ كَفَّ أذاهُ لَمْ يُعانِدْهُ أحدٌ

3 . Preventing yourself from harming [others] reforms the hearts of your enemies towards you.

3 ـ مَنْعُ أذاكَ يُصلِحُ لَكَ قُلُوبُ عِداكَ

Eating

Eating الأكل

1 . Eating less is from self-restraint and overeating is from indulgence.

1 ـ قِلَّةُ الأكلِ مِنَ العَفافِ، وكَثْرَتُهُ مِنَ الإسْرافِ

2 . Eating less prevents many maladies of the body.

2 ـ قِلَّةُ الأكْلِ يَمْنَعُ كَثيراً مِنْ أعلالِ الجِسمِ

3 . How often has [the eating of] one food prevented [the eating of] other foods.

3 ـ كَمْ مِنْ أكْلَة مَنَعَتْ أكَلات

4 . Overeating is from gluttony, and gluttony is the worst flaw.

4 ـ كَثرَةُ الأكلِ مِنَ الشَّـرَهِ، والشَّـرَهُ شَـرُّ العُيوبِ

5 . Overeating and oversleeping corrupt the soul and bring about impairment.

5 ـ كَثرَةُ الأكلِ والنَّوْمِ تُفْسِدانِ النَّفْسَ وتَجْلُبانِ المَضَرَّةَ

6 . Overeating causes bad [body] odour.

6 ـ كَثرَةُ الأكلِ تُذَفِّرُ (تُدْفِرُ ).

7 . Be like the bee when it eats it eats what is good and when it secretes it secretes what is good, and when it sits on a twig it does not break it.

7 ـ كُنْ كالنَّحْلَةِ إذا أكَلَتْ أكَلَتْ طَيِّباً، وإذا وَضَعَتْ وَضَعتْ طَيِّباً، وإذا وَقَعَتْ على عُود لَمْ تُكَسِّرْهُ

8 . Whoever eats less, his thoughts become pure.

8 ـ مَنْ قَلَّ أكلُهُ صَفى فِكْرُهُ

9 . One who restricts his eating, his health improves and his thoughts become righteous.

9 ـ مَنِ اقْتَصَرَ في أكْلِهِ كَثُرَتْ صِحَّتُهُ، وصَلُحَتْ فِكْرَتُهُ

10 . One whose efforts are [solely] for [acquiring] that which enters his stomach, his value is [equal to] that which comes out from it.

10 ـ مَنْ كانَتْ هِمَّتُهُ ما يَدْخُلُ بَطْنَهُ كانَتْ قيمَتُهُ ما يَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ

11 . One who eats excessively, his health deteriorates and his expenses become heavy for him to bear.

11 ـ مَن كَثُرَ أكْلُهُ قَلَّتْ صِحَّتُهُ، وثَقُلَتْ على نَفْسهِ مَؤُنتُهُ

Allah And His Attributes

Allah and His Attributes اللّه وصفاته

1 . The knowledge of Allah, the Glorified, tore through the veils of the unseen and encompassed the darkness of inner-beliefs.

1 ـ خَرَقَ عِلْمُ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ باطِنَ غَيْبِ السُّتََراتِ، وأحاطَ بِغُمُوضِ عَقائدِ السَّريراتِ

2 . Everyone who is called ‘one’ other than Allah, the Glorified, is little; and every honoured one other than Him is inferior; and every strong one other than Him is weak; and every master other than Him is a slave; and every knower other than Him is a learner; and every capable one other than Him is sometimes able and other times unable.

2 ـ كُلُّ مُسَمًّى بِالوَحْدَةِ غَيرُ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ قَليلٌ، وكُلُّ عزيز غَيرُهُ ذَليلٌ، وَكُلُّ قَويّ غَيرُهُ ضعيفٌ، وَكُلُّ مالِك غَيرُهُ مَمْلُوكٌ، وكُلُّ عالِم غَيرُهُ مُتَعَلِّمٌ، وَكُلُّ قادِر غيرُهُ يَقْدِرُ ويَعْجِزُ

3 . Every hidden thing is apparent for Allah, exalted are His bounties.

3 ـ كُلُّ باطِن عندَ اللّه جَلّتْ آلاؤُهُ ظاهرٌ

4 . Every secret is manifest for Allah.

4 ـ كُلُّ سِرّ عندَ اللّهِ عَلانِيَةٌ

5 . Whoever contemplates about the essence of Allah, apostatizes.

5 ـ مَنْ تَفَكَّرَ في ذاتِ اللّهِ اَلْحَدَ(تَزَنْدَقَ (

6 . Allah, the Glorified, does not misguide anyone and Allah is not unjust to the servants.

6 ـ ماكانَ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ لِيُضِلَّ أحَداً ولَيسَ اللّهُ بِظلاّّم لِلْعَبيدِ

7 . How great is the clemency of Allah, the Glorified, upon the recalcitrant, and how great is His forgiveness to the extravagant servants.

7 ـ ما أعظَمَ حِلْمَ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ عَنْ أهْلِ العِنادِ، وما أكْثَرَ عَفْوَهُ عَنْ مُسرِفي العِبادِ

8 . Allah, how great is that which we see of your creation, yet how small its greatness is next to what is hidden from us of your might!

8 ـ ما أعْظَمَ ألّلهُمَّ ما نَرى مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وما أصغَرَ عَظيمَهُ في جَنْبِ ما غابَ عنَّا مِنْ قُدْرَتِكَ

9 . Allah! How awesome is that which we witness of Your kingdom, yet how negligible is that compared to what is hidden from us of Your grand sovereignty!

9 ـ ما أهْولَ ألّلهُمَّ ما نُشاهِدُهُ مِنْ مَلَكُوتِكَ، وما أحقَرَ ذلِكَ فيما غابَ عنَّا مِنْ عظيمِ سُلْطانِكَ

10 . He is Allah, the One for whom all signs of existence stand witness over the denying heart.

10 ـ هُوَ اللّهُ الَّذي تَشْهَدُ لَهُ أعْلامُ الوُجودِ على قَلْبِ ذي الجُحُودِ

11 . Allah, Great is His Majesty, is not perceived by the eyes through the sense of sight, rather He is perceived by the hearts though the realities of faith.

11 ـ لا تُدْرِكُ اللّهُ جلَّ جَلالُهُ العُيُونُ بِمُشاهَدَةِ الأعيانِ، لكن تُدْرِكُهُ القُلُوبُ بِحَقائقِ الإيمانِ

12 . How can one whose guarantor is Allah, lose?

12 ـ كَيفَ يَضيعُ مَنِ اللّهُ كافِلُهُ؟ !

13 . Allah, the Glorified, has not created anything in vain so that He may be entertained.

13 ـ ما خلَقَ اللّهُ سُبحانَهُ أمْراً عَبَثاً فَيَلْهُوَ

14 . Allah, the Glorified, does not abandon anything to futility thereby rendering it void.

14 ـ ما ترَكَ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ أمْراً سُدىً فَيَلْغُوَ

15 . The knowledge of Allah, the Glorified, encompasses the concealed interiors and records the apparent exteriors.

15 ـ قَدْ أحاطَ عِلْمُ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ بِالبَواطِنِ، وأحصىَ الظَّواهِرَ

16 . Allah, the Glorified, has recorded your traces, known your actions and ordained your death.

16 ـ قَدْ سَمَّى اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ آثارَكُمْ، وعَلِمَ أعْمالَكُمْ، وكَتَبَ آجالَكُمْ

17 . Allah, the Glorified, did not create the creation on account of loneliness, nor did He command them [to obey Him] in order to gain anything.

17 ـ لَمْ يَخْلُقِ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ الخَلْقَ لِوَحْشَة ولَمْ يَسْتَعْمِلْهُمْ لِمَنْفَعة

18 . Allah, the Glorified, has not created you in vain, and has not abandoned you to wander aimlessly, and He has not left you alone in misguidance and blindness.

18 ـ لَمْ يَخْلُقْكُم اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ عَبَثاً، ولَمْ يَتْرُكْكُمْ سُدىً، ولَمْ يَدَعْكُمْ في ضلالَة ولا عمى

19 . How amazing the human being is! He sees through [a layer of] fat1 , speaks with a piece of flesh, hears with a bone and breathes through a hole.

19 ـ إعْجِبُوا لِهذا الإنسانِ يَنْظُرُ بِشَحْم ويَتَكَلَّمُ بِلَحم ويَسْمَعُ بِعَظْم وَيَتَنَفَّسُ مِنْ خَرْم

20 . About the unity of Allah, the Exalted, he said: The depths of understanding cannot perceive Him and the heights of [intellectual] endeavors cannot reach Him.

20 ـ وَقالَ في توحيدِاللّهِ تعالى: غَوْصُ الفِتَنِ لايُدْرِكُهُ وبُعدُ الهِمَمِ لا يَبْلُغُهُ

21 . Faces bow down in front of the greatness of Allah, hearts tremble out of fear of Him and souls are sacrificed for His pleasure.

21 ـ تَعْنُوا الوُجُوهُ لِعَظَمَةِ اللّهِ، وتَجِلُّ القُلُوبُ مِنْ مَخافَتِهِ، وتَتَهالَكُ النُفُوسُ على مَراضيهِ

22 . Belief in the oneness of Allah enlivens the soul.

22 ـ اَلتَّوحيدُ حَيوةُ النَّفْسِ

23 . Belief that Allah is one means that you should not [try to] imagine [Him].

23 ـ اَلتَّوحيدُ أنْ لا تَتَوَهَّمَ

24 . Whoever believes in one God is saved.

24 ـ قَدْنَجا مَنْ وَحَّدَ (وَجَدَ، وُحِدَ ).

25 . He (‘a) said about the oneness of Allah: He is near everything but not attached, far from everything but not separate.

25 ـ وقال ـ عليه السلام ـ في توحيدِ اللّهِ: قَريبٌ مِنَ الأشياءِ غَيرُ مُلابِس، بعيدٌ مِنْها غَيْرُ مُبايِن

26 . He (‘a) said about the oneness of Allah, the Glorified: He is neither inside things nor outside them.

26 ـ وقال ـ عليه السلام ـ في توحيدِ اللّهِ سُبْحانَهُ: لَيسَ في الأشياءِ بِوالِج ولا عَنْها بِخارج

27 . If your Lord had a partner, then his prophets would [also] have come to you.

27 ـ لَو كانَ لِرَبِّكَ شَريكٌ لأتَتْكَ رُسُلُهُ

28 . One who believes in the oneness of Allah, the Glorified, does not compare Him to the creation.

28 ـ مَنْ وَحَّدَ اللّهَ سُبْحانَهُ لَمْ يُشَبِّهْهُ بِالخَلْقِ

29 . He, the Glorified, was not perceived by the intellects and thus described, rather, He, the Exalted, described himself before the describers [attempted to describe Him].

29 ـ لَمْ تَرَهُ سُبْحانَهُ العُقُولُ فَتُخْبِرَ عَنْهُ، بَلْ كانَ تعالى قَبلَ الواصِفينَ بِهِ لَهُ

30 . Allah, the Glorified, did not give the intellect knowledge about the limits of His qualities, yet He did not prevent it from gaining the necessary understanding of Him.

30 ـ لَمْ يُطْلِعِ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ العُقُولَ عَلى تَحديدِ صِفَتِهِ، وَلَمْ يَحْجُبْها عَنْ واجِبِ مَعرِفَتِهِ

31 . He, the Glorified, can neither be confined in the intellect, thereby changing through the process of thought [or imagination], nor in the shackles of the mind, thereby becoming limited and the object of alteration.

31 ـ لَمْ يَتَناهَ سُبْحانَهُ في العُقُولِ فَيَكُونَ في مَهَبِّ فِكْرِها مُكَيَّفاً ولافي رَوِيَّاتِ خَواطِرِها مُحَدَّداً مُصَرَّفاً

32 . Allah has not settled in anything so that it be said He exists therein, nor is He separated from anything so that it is said He is detached from it.

32 ـ لَمْ يَحْلُلِ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ في الأشياءِ فَيكُونَ (فَيُقالَ هُوَ فيها كائِنٌ) فيها كائناً ولَمْ يَنْأ عَنْها فَيُقالَ هُوَ عَنْها بائنٌ

33 . Whoever seeks permission from Allah, He grants it [to him].

33 ـ مَنِ اسْتَأذَنَ علَى اللّهِ أذِنَ لَهُ

Notes

1. Referring to fatty tissue that makes up part of the eye.

Matters

Matters الأُمور

1 . Matters come to pass by divine decree, not by [the] planning [of human beings].

1 ـ اَلاُُمُورُ بالتَّقديرِ لابِالتَّدبيرِ

2 . Deduce that which has not happened from that which has transpired, for matters are similar.

2 ـ اِستَدِلَّ على ما لَمْ يَكنْ بِما كانَ فإنَّ الاُمُورَ أشباهٌ

3 . The most successful matters are those that have been shrouded in secrecy.

3 ـ أنجَحُ الأُمُورِما أحاطَ بِهِ الكِتْمانُ

4 . Indeed when matters are similar, the latter is judged by the former.

4 ـ إنَّ الأُمورَ إذا تَشابَهَتْ اُعْتُبِرَ آخِرُها بِأوَّلِها

5 . Matters are [perfected] through experience [and trial].

5 ـ الأُمُورُ بِالتَّجرِبَةِ

6 . Matters are similar [to one another].

6 ـ الأُمُورُ أشباهٌ

7 . Matters are subservient to destiny until death (or injustice) enters the plan.

7 ـ تَذِلُّ الأُمُورُ لِلْمَقاديرِ حتّى يَكُونََ الحَتْفُ (الحِيْفُ) في التَّدبيرِِ

8 . Seek in your work the course by which your excuse may be credible, your evidence may be established and your integrity may be restored.

8 ـ تَحَرَّ مِنْ أمْرِكَ مايَقُومُ بِهِ عُذرُكَ، وتَثْبُتُ بِِهِ حُجَّتُكَ ويَفيءُ إلَيْكَ بِرُشْدِكَ

9 . The best matters are those which give rise to certitude.

9 ـ خَيْرُ الأُمُورِ ما أسْفَرَ عنِ اليَقينِ

10 . The best matters are those which lead to deliverance [from hellfire].

10 ـ خَيْرُ الأُمُورِ ما أدّى إلَى الخَلاصِ

11 . The best matters are those which are free from cupidity.

11 ـ خَيْرُ الأُمُورِ ما عَرى عَنِ الطَّمَعِ

12 . The best matters are those that reveal the truth.

12 ـ خَيْرُ الأُمُورِ ما أسْفَرَ عَنِ الحقِّ

13 . The best matters are those that are easy to initiate, end well and give praiseworthy results.

13 ـ خَيرُ الأُمُورِ ما سَهُلَتْ مَباديهِ، وحَسُنَتْ خَواتِمُهُ وحُمِدَتْ عَواقِبُهُ

14 . The best matters are those that give the quickest benefit and the most praiseworthy results.

14 ـ خَيْرُ الأُمُورِ أعْجَلُها عائدَةً، وأحْمَدُها عاقبَةً

15 . Take of your matter that which makes your excuse credible and establishes your proof.

15 ـ خُذْ مِنْ أمْرِكَ ما يَقُومُ بِهِ عُذْرُكَ، وتَثْبُتُ بِهِ حُجَتُك

16 . Sometimes matters look grim (or inescapable).

16 ـ رُبَّما تَجَهَّمَتِ(تَحَتَّمَتِ) الأُمورُ

17 . The worst matters are those that are the most dubious.

17 ـ شَـرُّ الأُمورِ أكثَرُها شَكاًّ

18 . Blessed is he who is not unaware of the similarity between matters.

18 ـ طُوبى لِمَنْ لَمْ تَغُمَّ عَلَيْهِ مُشْتَبَهاتُ الأُمورِ

19 . Sometimes matters become prevalent (or obscure).

19 ـ قَدْ تَعُمُّ(تُغَمُّ) الأُمورُ

20 . One who suffers the severity of matters is destroyed.

20 ـ مَنْ كابَدَ الأُمورَ هَلَكَ

21 . One who suffers the severity of matters, perishes.

21 ـ مَنْ كابَدَ الأُمُورَ عَطِبَ

22 . One who neglects his [own] affairs is negligent in all matters.

22 ـ مَنْ ضَيَّعَ أمْرَهُ ضَيَّعَ كُلَّ أمْر

23 . The gauge of [successful] matters is [in] their good endings.

23 ـ مِلاكُ الأُمورِ حُسنُ الخَواتِمِ

24 . One who does not safeguard his affairs is destroyed.

24 ـ هَلَكَ مَنْ لَمْ يُحرِزْ أمْرَهُ

25 . Do not embark on any matter until you have knowledge of it.

25 ـ لاتُقْدِمَنَّ على أمْر حتّى تُخْبِرَهُ

26 . Make [matters] easy and not arduous; make [them] light and not strenuous.

26 ـ يَسِّرُُوا وَلا تُعَسِّرُوا، وخَفِّفُوا ولا تُثَقِّلُوا

27 . Every matter has an outcome.

27 ـ لِكُلِّ أمْر مَ آلٌ

28 . What has not [yet] happened can be deduced from what has transpired.

28 ـ يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلى مالَمْ يَكُنْ بِما قَد كانَ

29 . Let the most beloved matters to you be the most universal in justice and the most equitable with [regards to the] rights [of others].

29 ـ لِيَكُنْ أحَبُّ الأُمورِ إلَيكَ أعَمَّها في العَدْلِ وأقسَطَها بِالحقِّ

30 . Be wary of every matter that degrades the one who performs it when it becomes apparent, and abases him.

30 ـ إحذَرْ كُلَّ أمْر إذا ظَهَرَ، أزرى بفاعِلِهِ وحَقَّرَهُ

31 . Be wary of every matter that ruins the Hereafter and improves the worldly life.

31 ـ إحذَرْ كُلَّ أمْر يُفْسِدُ الآجِلَةَ، ويُصْلِحُ الدَّانيةَ