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

Opinions And The Opinonated

Opinions and the Opinonated[^1] الرأي والآراء والمستبد بالرأي

1. Restrict your opinion to that which is necessary and you will be safe; avoid entering into that which does not concern you and you will be honoured.

1ـ اُقْصُرْ رَأيَكَ على ما يَلْزَمُكَ تَسْلَمْ، وَدَعِ الخَوضَ فيما

2. Churn the opinion [like] the churning of a water-skin, and the outcome will be the most pertinent of opinions.

2ـ اِمْخِضُوا الرَّأيَ مَخْضَ السِّقاءِ، يُنْتِجْ سَديدَ الآراءِ.

3. The closest of opinions to reason will be the furthest of them from vain desire.

3ـ أقْرَبُ الآراءِ مِنَ النُّهى أبْعَدُها مِنَ الهَوى.

4. The ones who possess most pertinent opinions are those who have experience.

4ـ أمْلَكُ النَّاسِ لِسِدادِ الرَّأيِ كُلُّ مُجَرِّب.

5. The person with the best opinion is he who does not consider himself needless of the counsel of an advisor.

5ـ أفْضَلُ النَّاسِ رَأياً مَنْ لا يَسْتَغْني عَنْ رَأيِ مُشير.

6. The best opinion is one which neither causes opportunities to be wasted nor brings about distress.

6ـ أفْضَلُ الرَّأيِ ما لَمْ يُفِتِ الفُرَصَ، ولَم يُورِثِ الغُصَصَ.

7. Indeed your opinion cannot encompass everything, so leave it for the important [issues].

7ـ إنَّ رَأيَكَ لا يَتَّسِعُ لِكُلِّ شَيْء، فَفَرِّغْهُ لِلْمُهِمِّ.

8. The [right] opinion is [acquired] by protecting secrets.

8ـ اَلرَّأيُ بِتَحصينِ الأسرارِ.

9. Through correct opinion (or prudence), ones judiciousness is strengthened.

9ـ بِإصابَة (بِأصالةِ) الرَّأيِ يَقْوَى الحَزْمُ.

10. The best of opinions is the furthest of them from vain desire and the closest of them to pertinence.

10ـ خَيْرُ الآراءِ أبْعَدُها عَنِ الهَوى، وأقْرَبُها مِنَ السَّدادِ.

11. Hidden opinions are revealed through consultation.

11ـ خَوافِي الآراءِ تَكْشِفُهَا المُشاوَرَةُ.

12. The opinion of an elderly person is more beloved to me than the fortitude [and bravery] of a youth.

12ـ رَأيُ الشَّيْخِ أحَبُّ إلَيَّ مِنْ جَلَدِ الغُلامِ.

13. A person’s opinion is the gauge of his intelligence.

13ـ رَأيُ الرَّجُلِ مِيزانُ عَقْلِهِ.

14. The opinion of an intelligent person saves.

14ـ رَأيُ العاقِلِ يُنْجي.

15. The opinion of an ignorant person destroys.

15ـ رَأيُ الجاهِلِ يُردي.

16. The opinion of a person is in accordance with his experience.

16ـ رَأيُ الرَّجُلِ على قَدْرِ تَجْرِبَتِهِ.

17. Erroneous opinion annihilates the kingdom and heralds destruction.

17ـ زَلَّةُ الرَّأيِ تَأتي عَلَى المُلْكِ وتُؤْذِنُ بِالهُلْكِ.

18. The most evil of opinions is that which goes against the laws of Islam.

18ـ شَرُّ الآراءِ ما خالَفَ الشَّريعَةَ.

19. The validity of an opinion is [measured] by the sincerity of the adviser.

19ـ صَلاحُ الرَّأيِ بِنُصْحِ المُسْتَشيرِ.

20. Correct opinion saves [one] from errors.

20ـ صَوابُ الرَّأيِ يُؤمِنُ الزَّلَلَ.

21. Correct opinion [and decision] comes with [the coming of] power and it vanishes with its disappearance.

21ـ صَوابُ الرَّأيِ بِالدُّوَلِ ويَذْهَبُ بِذِهابِها.

22. Correct opinion is [derived] through careful consideration.

22ـ صَوابُ الرَّأيِ بِإجالَةِ الأفكارِ.

23. Misguided opinion corrupts the goals.

23ـ ضَلَّةُ الرَّأيِ تُفسِدُ المَقاصِدَ.

24. Determination [and resolve] is proportionate to the strength of one’s opinion.

24ـ عَلى قَدْرِ الرَّأيِ تَكُونُ العَزيمَةُ.

25. Indeed the lone opinion [without any consultation] may be erroneous.

25ـ قَدْ يَزِلُّ الرَّأيُ الفَذُّ.

26. Indeed one who thinks his opinion is sufficient [and does not seek advice] has taken a [huge] risk.

26ـ قَدْ خاطَرَ مَنِ اسْتَغْنى بِرَأيِهِ.

27. One who is ignorant of the different opinions is incapacitated by ruses [and is unable to decide on the correct course].

27ـ مَنْ جَهِلَ وُجوهَ الآراءِ أعْيَتْهُ الحِيَلُ.

28. One who fails to apply the [correct] opinion becomes disconcerted.

28ـ مَنْ أضاعَ الرَّأيَ إرْتَبَكَ.

29. One who acts on the [correct] opinion, benefits [from it].

29ـ مَنْ أعْمَلَ الرَّأيَ غَنِمَ.

30. One whose opinions are weak, his enemies become stronger.

30ـ مَنْ ضَعُفَتْ آراؤُهُ قَوِيَتْ أعْداؤُهُ.

31. One who is impressed by his [own] opinions is defeated by his enemies.

31ـ مَنْ أعْجَبَتْهُ آراؤُهُ غَلَبَتْهُ أعْداؤُهُ.

32. One who admires his [own] opinion is overwhelmed (or destroyed) by incompetence.

32ـ مَنْ اُعْجِبَ بِرَأيِهِ مَلَكَهُ (أهْلَكَهُ) العَجْزُ.

33. Do not become opinionated [and headstrong], for the one who is opinionated is destroyed.

33 ـ لا تَسْتَبِدَّ بِرَأيِكَ، فَمَنِ اسْتَبَدَّ بِرَأيِهِ هَلَكَ.

34. Do not use opinion [and conjecture] in that which is neither perceived by sight nor penetrated by thought.

34ـ لاتَسْتَعْمِلُوا الرَّأيَ فيما لايُدْرِكُهُ البَصَرُ،

35. One who is not obeyed has no opinion.

35ـ لا رَأيَ لِمَنْ لا يُطاعُ.

36. One who is content with his [own] opinion is indeed doomed.

36ـ مَنْ قَنِعَ بِرَأيِهِ فَقَدْ هَلَكَ.

37. When one is opinionated, it becomes easy for his enemies to defeat him.

37ـ مَنِ اسْتَبَدَّ بِرَأيِهِ خَفَّتْ وَطْأَتُهُ على أعْدائِهِ.

38. One who takes the different opinions into consideration recognizes the points of error.

38ـ مَنِ اسْتَقْبَلَ وُجوهَ الآراءِ عَرَفَ مَواقِعَ الخَطاءِ.

39. One who is opinionated has endangered and imperilled [himself].

39ـ مَنِ اسْتَبَدَّ بِرَأيِهِ خاطَرَ وغَرَّرَ.

40. The opinionated one falls into error and blunder.

40ـ المُسْتَبِدُّ مُتَهَوِّرٌ فِي الخَطاءِ والغَلَطِ.

41. Indeed the opinionated one has made an error [by not considering the other opinions].

41ـ قَدْ أخْطَاءَ المُسْتَبِدُّ.

42. One who is opinionated [and headstrong] slips.

42ـ مَنِ اسْتَبَدَّ بِرَأيِهِ زَلَّ.

43. Being opinionated will make you slip and will cause you to fall into an abyss.

43ـ اَلاِسْتِبْدادُ بِرَأيِكَ يُزِلُّكَ، وَيُهَوِّرُكَ فِي المَهاوي.

44. How bad a disposition opinionatedness [and arbitrariness] is!

44ـ بِئْسَ الاِسْتِعْدادُ الاِستِبْدادُ.

[^1]: Literally translated as: one who stubbornly holds on to his own opinion without considering the opinions of others.