وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
لابنه الحسن عليه السلام :
to his son al- Hasan:
يَا بُنَيَّ،
O my son,
احْفَظْ عَنِّي أَرْبَعاً وَأَرْبَعاً،
learn four things and (a further) four things from me.
لاَ يَضُرَّكَ مَا عَمِلْتَ مَعَهُنَّ:
Nothing will harm you if you practise them.
إِنَّ أَغْنَى الْغِنَىُ الْعَقْلُ،
That the richest of riches is intelligence;
وَأَكْبَرَ الْفَقْرِ الْحُمْقُ،
the biggest destitution is foolishness;
وَأَوحَشَ الْوَحْشَةِ الْعُجْبُ
the wildest wildness is vanity
وَأَكْرَمَ الْحَسَبَ حُسْنُ الْخُلُقِ.
and the best achievement is goodness of the moral character.
يَا بُنَيَّ،
O my son,
إِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الاْحْمَقِ،
you should avoid making friends with a fool
فَإِنَّهُ يُريِدُ أَنْ يَنْفَعَكَ فَيَضُرَّكَ.
because he may intend to benefit you but may harm you;
وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْبَخِيلِ،
you should avoid making friends with a miser
فَإِنَّهُ يَقْعُدُ عَنْكَ أَحْوَجَ مَا تَكُونُ إِلَيْهِ.
because he will run away from you when you need him most;
وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْفَاجِرِ،
you should avoid making friends with a sinful person
فَإِنَّهُ يَبِيعُكَ بِالتَّافِهِ
because he will sell you for nought;
وَإِيَّاكَ وَمُصَادَقَةَ الْكَذَّابِ،
and you should avoid making friends with a liar
فَإِنَّهُ كَالسَّرَابِ
because he is like a mirage,
يُقَرِّبُ عَلَيْكَ الْبَعِيدَ،
making you feel far things near
وَيُبَعِّدُ عَلَيْكَ الْقَرِيبَ.
and near things far.
