Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech

The Fool

The Fool الأحمق

  1. The fool is a stranger in his [own] hometown, [and is] humiliated among his near ones.

1ـ اَلأحْمَقُ غَرِيبٌ في بَلْدَتِهِ، مُهانٌ بَيْنَ أعِزَّتِهِ.

  1. A fool does not improve by abasement and he is does not separate from fault and loss.

2ـ اَلأحْمَقُ لايَحْسُنُ بِالهَوانِ، ولايَنْفَكُّ عَنْ نَقْص وخُسْران.

  1. Be wary of the fool for verily, being amicable with him will bring you hardship (or exhaust you), agreeing with him will destroy you, disagreeing with him will cause you suffering and keeping his company will be [like] a curse upon you.

3ـ إحْذَرِ الأحْمَقَ، فَإنَّ مُداراتَهُ تُعَنِّيكَ (تُعْيِيكَ)،

ومُوافَقَتَهُ تُرْدِيكَ، وَمُخالَفَتَهُ تُؤْذِيكَ، ومُصاحَبَتَهُ وَبالٌ عَلَيْكَ.

  1. The most foolish of all people is the one who thinks that he is the most intelligent of all people.

4ـ أحْمَقُ النّاسِ مَنْ ظَنَّ أنَّهُ أعْقَلُ النّاسِ.

  1. The most foolish of all people is the one who prevents good deeds and [then] seeks gratitude, and does evil and [then] expects the reward for [doing] good.

5ـ أحْمَقُ النّاسِ مَنْ يَمْنَعُ الْبِرَّ، ويَطْلُبُ الشُّكْرَ،

ويَفْعَلُ الشَّـرَّ، ويَتَوَقَّعُ ثَوابَ الخَيْـرِ.

  1. The most foolish of all people is the one who censures others for a vice while he [himself] performs it.

6ـ أحْمَقُ النّاسِ مَنْ أنْكَرَ عَلى غَيْرِهِ رَذِيلَةً وهُوَ مُقِيمٌ

عَلَيْها.

  1. The fool does not improve by being disgraced.

7ـ اَلأحْمَقُ لا يَحْسُنُ بِالهَوانِ.

  1. The remoteness of a fool is better than his nearness and his silence is better than his speech.

8ـ بُعْدُ الأحْمَقِ خَيْـرٌ مِنْ قُرْبِهِ، وسُكُوتُهُ خَيْـرٌ مِنْ

نُطْقِهِ.

  1. The foolishness of a person is recognized by [his] cheerfulness in times of blessing and increased abjectness in times of tribulation.

9ـ تُعْرَفُ حَماقَةُ الرَّجُلِ بِالأشَرِ فِي النِّعْمَةِ، وكَثْرَةِ

الذُّلِّ فِي الْمِحْنَةِ.

  1. The foolishness of a person is recognized in three things: in his talking about that which does not concern him, [in] his answering that which he was not asked and his recklessness in [his] affairs.

10ـ تُعْرَفُ حِماقَةُ الرَّجُلِ في ثَلاث: في كَلامِهِ فِيما لا

يَعْنِيهِ، وجَوابِهِ عَمّا لا يُسْئَلُ عَنْهُ، وتَهَوُّرِهِ فيِ الأُمُورِ.

  1. Cutting off [ties with] the fool is judiciousness.

11ـ قَطيعَةُ الأحْمَقِ حَزْمٌ.

  1. Be cautious of the fool when you are in his company, of the vicious when you associate with him and of the oppressor when you deal with him.

12ـ كُنْ عَلى حَذَر مِنَ الأحْمَقِ إذا صاحَبْتَهُ، ومِنَ الفاجِرِ إذا

عاشَرْتَهُ، ومِنَ الظّالِمِ إذا عامَلْتَهُ.

  1. For the fool there is an oath with every statement.[^1]

13ـ لِلأحْمَقِ مََعَ كُلِّ قَوْل يَمِينٌ.

  1. Be careful not to love the fool, for he will surely harm you while he thinks that he is benefitting you and will annoy you while he thinks that he is pleasing you.

14ـ إيّاكَ ومَوَّدَةَ الأحْمَقِ، فَإنَّهُ يَضُرُّكَ مِنْ حَيْثُ يَرى

أنَّهُ يَنْفَعُكَ، وَيَسُوءُكَ وهُوَ يَرى انَّه يَسُـرُّكَ.

  1. Keeping silent is the best response for a fool.

15ـ السُّكُوتُ عَلَى الأحْمَقِ أفْضَلُ جَوابِهِ.

  1. Increased fickleness is from the signs of a fool.

16ـ مِنْ أماراتِ الأحْمَقِ كَثْرَةُ تَلَوُّنِهِ.

  1. Putting up with a fool is a torment for the soul.

17ـ مُقاساةُ الأحْمَقِ عَذابُ الرُّوحِ.

  1. Never show respect to a fool, even if he is [apparently] great.

18ـ لاتَعْظِمَنَّ الأحْمَقَ، وإنْ كانَ كَبيراً.

[^1]: i.e. he swears with every statement that he makes.