وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
لَقَدْ عُلِّقَ بِنِيَاطِ هَذَا الْإِنْسَانِ بَضْعَةٌ هِيَ أَعْجَبُ مَا فِيهِ
In man there is a piece of flesh attached to him with a vein and it is the strangest thing in him.
وَ ذَلِكَ الْقَلْبُ
It is the heart.
وَ ذَلِكَ أَنَّ لَهُ مَوَادَّ مِنَ الْحِكْمَةِ
It has a store of wisdom
وَ أَضْدَاداً مِنْ خِلَافِهَا
and things contrary to wisdom.
فَإِنْ سَنَحَ لَهُ الرَّجَاءُ أَذَلَّهُ الطَّمَعُ
If it sees a ray of hope, eagerness humiliates it
وَ إِنْ هَاجَ بِهِ الطَّمَعُ أَهْلَكَهُ الْحِرْصُ
and when eagerness increases, greed ruins it.
وَ إِنْ مَلَكَهُ الْيَأْسُ قَتَلَهُ الْأَسَفُ
If disappointment overtakes it, grief kills it.
وَ إِنْ عَرَضَ لَهُ الْغَضَبُ اشْتَدَّ بِهِ الْغَيْظُ
If anger rises in it, a serious rage develops.
وَ إِنْ أَسْعَدَهُ الرِّضَى نَسِيَ التَّحَفُّظَ
If it is blessed with pleasure, it forgets to be cautious.
وَ إِنْ غَالَهُ الْخَوْفُ شَغَلَهُ الْحَذَرُ
If it becomes fearing, it becomes heedless.
وَ إِنِ اتَّسَعَ لَهُ الْأَمْرُ اسْتَلَبَتْهُ الْغِرَّةُ
If peace extends all round, it becomes neglectful.
وَ إِنْ أَفَادَ مَالًا أَطْغَاهُ الْغِنَى
If it earns wealth, freedom from care puts it in the wrong.
وَ إِنْ أَصَابَتْهُ مُصِيبَةٌ فَضَحَهُ الْجَزَعُ
If trouble befalls it, impatience makes it humble.
وَ إِنْ عَضَّتْهُ الْفَاقَةُ شَغَلَهُ الْبَلَاءُ
If it faces starvation, distress overtakes it.
وَ إِنْ جَهَدَهُ الْجُوعُ قَعَدَ بِهِ الضَّعْفُ
If hunger attacks it, weakness makes it sit down.
وَ إِنْ أَفْرَطَ بِهِ الشِّبَعُ كَظَّتْهُ الْبِطْنَةُ
If its eating increases, heaviness of stomach pains it.
فَكُلُّ تَقْصِيرٍ بِهِ مُضِرٌّ وَ كُلُّ إِفْرَاطٍ لَهُ مُفْسِدٌ .
Thus, every shortness is harmful to it and every excess is injurious to it.
