وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
اعْلَمُوا عِلْماً يَقِيناً أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِلْعَبْدِ
Know with full conviction that Allah has not fixed for any person
وَ إِنْ عَظُمَتْ حِيلَتُهُ
even though his means (of seeking it) may be great,
وَ اشْتَدَّتْ طَلِبَتُهُ
his craving for it intense
وَ قَوِيَتْ مَكِيدَتُهُ
and his efforts for it acute;
أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ
more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny,
وَ لَمْ يَحُلْ بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ فِى ضَعْفِهِ
nor does the weakness of a person
وَ قِلَّةِ حِيلَتِهِ
or the paucity of his means
وَ بَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مَا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ
stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself.
وَ الْعَارِفُ لِهَذَا الْعَامِلُ بِهِ
He who realizes it and acts upon it
أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ رَاحَةً فِى مَنْفَعَةٍ
is the best of them all in point of comfort and benefit;
وَ التَّارِكُ لَهُ الشَّاكُّ فِيهِ
while he who disregards it arid doubts it
أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ شُغُلًا فِى مَضَرَّةٍ
exceeds all men in disadvantages.
وَ رُبَّ مُنْعَمٍ عَلَيْهِ مُسْتَدْرَجٌ بِالنُّعْمَى
Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours;
وَ رُبَّ مُبْتَلًى مَصْنُوعٌ لَهُ بِالْبَلْوَى
and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction.
فَزِدْ أَيُّهَا الْمُسْتَنْفِعُ فِى شُكْرِكَ
Therefore, O listener, increase your gratefulness,
وَ قَصِّرْ مِنْ عَجَلَتِكَ وَ قِفْ عِنْدَ مُنْتَهَى رِزْقِكَ .
lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.
