وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
يَا أيُّها النَّاسُ،
O people,
مَتَاعُ الدُّنْيَا حُطَامٌ مُوبِىءٌ
the wealth of this world is broken orts that brings an epidemic;
فَتَجَنَّبُوا مَرْعَاهُ!
therefore keep off this grazing land,
قُلْعَتُهَا أَحْظَى مِنْ طُمَأْنِينَتِهَا
leaving it is a greater favour than peacefully staying in it,
وَبُلْغَتُهَا أَزْكَى مِنَ ثَرْوَتِهَا،
and its part enough for subsistence is more blissful than its riches.
حُكِمَ عَلَى مُكْثِرٍ مِنْهَا بِالْفَاقَةِ
Destitution has been ordained for those who are rich here,
وَأُعيِنَ مَنْ غَنِيَ عَنْهَا بِالرَّاحَة،
while comfort has been destined for those who keep away from it.
مَنْ رَاقَهُ زِبْرِجُهَا
If a person is attracted by its dazzle,
أَعْقَبَتْ نَاظِرَيْهِ كَمَهاً
it blinds both his eyes;
وَمَنِ اسْتَشْعَرَالشَّغَفَ بِهَا
and if a person acquires eagerness towards it,
مَلاَتْ ضَمِيرَهُ أَشْجاناً ،
then it fills his heart with griefs
لَهُنَّ رَقْصٌ عَلى سُوَيْدَاءِ قَلْبِهِ
which keep alternating in the black part of his heart,
هَمٌّ يَشْغَلُهُ،
some grief worrying him
وَغَمٌّ يَحْزُنُهُ،
and another giving him pain.
كَذلِكَ حَتَّى يُؤْخَذَ بِكَظَمِهِ فَيُلْقَى بِالْفَضاءِ،
This goes on till the suffocation of death overtakes him.
مُنْقَطِعاً أَبْهَرَاهُ ،
He is flung onto the open ground while both his arteries are severed.
هَيِّناً عَلى اللهِ فَناؤُهُ،
It is easy for Allah to cause him to die
وَعَلَى الاْخْوَانِ إِلْقَاؤهُ.
and for his comrades to put him in the grave.
وَإِنَّمَا يَنْظُرُ الْمُؤْمِنُ إِلَى الدُّنْيَا بَعَيْنِ الاْعْتِبَارِ
The believer sees the world with eyes that derive instruction,
وَيَقْتاتُ مِنْهَا بِبَطْنِ الاْضْطِرَارِ
and takes from it food enough for his barest needs.
وَيَسْمَعُ فِيهَا بِأُذُنِ الْمَقْتِ وَالاْبْغَاضِ،
He hears in it with ears of hatred and enmity.
إِنْ قِيلَ أَثْر
If it is said (about someone) that he has become rich,
ىقِيلَ أَكْدَى!
it is also said that he has turned destitute;
وَإِنْ فُرِحَ لَهُ بِالْبَقَاءِ
and if pleasure is felt on one's living,
حُزِنَ لَهُ بِالْفَنَاءِ!
grief is felt over his death.
هذَا وَلَمْ يَأْتِهِمْ يَوْمٌ فِيهِ يُبْلِسُونَ.
This is the position, although the day has not yet approached when they will be disheartened.
