وَقَالَ (عليه السلام):
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said:
إِنَّ أَخْسَرَ النَّاسِ صَفْقَةً
The worst in (concluding a) transaction
وَأَخْيَبَهُمْ سَعْياً،
and the most unsuccessful in striving,
رَجُلٌ أَخْلَقَ بَدَنَهُ فِي طَلَبِ آمَالِهِ،
is the man who exerts himself in seeking riches
وَلَمْ تُسَاعِدْهُ الْمَقَادِيرُ عَلَى إِرَادَتِهِ،
although fate does not help him in his aims
فَخَرَجَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا بِحَسْرَتِهِ،
and consequently he goes from this world in a sorrowful state
وَقَدِمَ عَلَى الاْخِرَةِ بِتَبِعَتِهِ.
while in the next world too he will face its ill consequences. 92
92. Despite efforts throughout life a man does not always achieve all the successes of life. If on some occasions he succeeds as a result of effort and seeking, on many others he has to face defeat and to give up his objectives admitting defeat before fate. A little thinking can lead to the conclusion that when things of this world cannot be achieved despite effort and seeking, how can the success of the next world be achieved without striving and seeking. A Persian couplet says: You hankered after the world but did not attain the objective. O Allah, what would be the result when the good of the next world has not even been sought.
