وروي أنه عليه السلام قلما اعتدل به المنبر إِلاّ قال أَمام خطبته:
It is related that it was seldom that Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, ascended the pulpit and did not utter the following before his sermon:
أَيُّهَا النَّاسُ،
O people,
اتَّقُوا اللهَ،
fear Allah
فَمَا خُلِقَ امْرءٌ عَبَثاً فَيَلْهُوَ
for man has not been created for naught so that he may waste himself,
وَلاَ تُرِكَ سُدىً فَيَلْغُوَ
nor has he been left uncared for so that he may commit nonsensical acts.
وَمَا دُنْيَاهُ الَّتي تَحَسَّنَتْ لَهُ بِخَلَفٍ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ الَّتي قَبَّحَها سُوءُ النَّظَرِ عِنْدَهُ،
This world which appears beautiful to him cannot be the replacement of the next world which appears bad in his eyes,
وَمَا الْمَغْرُورُ الَّذِي ظَفِرَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بأَعْلَى هِمَّتِهِ كَالاْخَرِ الَّذِي ظَفِرَ مِنَ الاْخِرَةِ بِأَدْنَى سُهْمَتِهِ.
nor is the vain person who is successful in this world through his high courage like him who is successful in the next world even to a small extent.
