وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
مَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عَيْبِ نَفْسِهِ اشْتَغَلَ عَنْ عَيْبِ غَيْرهِ،
He who sees his own shortcomings abstains from looking into other's shortcomings.
وَمَنْ رَضِيَ برِزْقِ اللهِ لَمْ يَحْزَنْ عَلَى مَا فَاتَهُ،
He who feels happy with the livelihood with which Allah provides him does not grieve over what he misses.
وَمَنْ سَلَّ سَيْفَ الْبَغْيِ قُتِلَ بِهِ،
He who draws out the sword of revolt gets killed with it.
وَمَنْ كَابَدَ الاْمُورَعَطِبَ
He who strives without means perishes.
وَمَنِ اقْتَحَمَ اللُّجَجَ غَرِقَ،
He who enters the depths gets drowned.
وَمَنْ دَخَلَ مَدَاخِلَ السُّوءِ اتُّهِمَ،
He who visits places of ill-repute receives blame.
وَمَنْ كَثُرَ كَلاَمُهُ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ،
He who speaks more commits more errors.
وَمَنْ كَثُرَ خَطَؤُهُ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ،
He who commits more errors becomes shameless.
وَمَنْ قَلَّ حَيَاؤُهُ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ،
He who is shameless will have less fear of Allah.
مَنْ قَلَّ وَرَعُهُ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ،
He whose fear of Allah is less, his heart dies.
وَمَنْ مَاتَ قَلْبُهُ دَخَلَ النَّارَ،
He whose heart dies enters the Fire.
وَمَنْ نَظَرَ فِي عُيُوبِ النَّاسِ
He who observes the shortcomings of others
فَأَنْكَرَهَا ثُمَّ رَضِيَهَا لِنَفْسِهِ
and disapproves of them and then accepts them for himself
فذَاك الاْحْمَقُ بِعَيْنِهِ.
is definitely a fool.
وَالْقَنَاعَةُ مَالٌ لاَ يَنْفَدُ،
Contentment is a capital that does not dwindle.
وَمَنْ أَكْثَرَ مِنْ ذِكْرِ الْمَوْتِ رَضِيَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِالْيَسيرِ،
He who remembers death much is satisfied with small favours in this world.
مَنْ عَلِمَ أَنَّ كَلاَمَهُ مِنْ عَمَلِهِ قَلَّ كَلاَمُهُ إِلاَّ فِيَما يَعْنيِهِ.
He who knows that his speech is also a part of his action speaks less except where he has some purpose.
