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

Food And Sustenance

Food and sustenance-الطّعام والقوت

1. Food is eaten and shared with three groups [in three situations]: alongside brothers with happiness, alongside the poor with selflessness and alongside the children of this world with magnanimity.

1ـ اَلطَّعامُ يُؤْكَلُ عَلى ثَلاثَةِ أضْرُب: مَعَ الإخْوانِ

2. How bad a food the forbidden [food] is!

2ـ بِئْسَ الطَّعامُ الحَرامُ.

3. How bad a sustenance consuming the wealth of orphans is!

3ـ بِئْسَ القُوتُ أكْلُ مالِ الأيْتامِ.

4. Few are those who increase their consumption of food and don’t fall ill [because of it].

4ـ قَلَّ مَنْ أكْثَرَ مِنَ الطَّعامِ فَلَمْ يَسْقَمْ.

5. Seldom does one increase his consumption of excess foods without getting afflicted by sicknesses.

5ـ قَلَّ مَنْ أكْثَرَ مِنْ فُضُولِ الطَّعامِ إلاّ لَزِمَتْهُ

6. Eating less food is more honorable for the soul and makes good health last longer.

6ـ قِلَّةُ الغِذاءِ أكْرَمُ لِلنَّفْسِ، وأدْوَمُ لِلصِّحَّةِ.

7. Eat citron before food and after it as the progeny of Muhammad (s) do this.

7ـ كُلُوا الأُتْرُجَّ قَبْلَ الطَّعامِ وبَعْدَهُ ف آلُ مُحَمَّد

8. Whoever eats less, his aches [and ailments] are reduced.

8ـ مَنْ قَلَّ طَعامُهُ قَلَّتْ آلامُهُ.

9. Whoever consumes less, [the burden of] his sustenance is lightened.

9ـ مَنْ قَلَّتْ طُعْمَتُهُ خَفَّتْ عَلَيْهِ مَؤُنَتُهُ.

10. One who sows in himself the love of different types of food, reaps the fruit of a variety of maladies.

10ـ مَنْ غَرَسَ في نَفْسهِ مَحَبَّةَ أنْواعِ الطَّعامِ اِجْتَنى ثِمارَ

11. Decrease your [consumption of] food and your ailments will reduce.

11ـ أقْلِلْ طَعاماً تُقْلِلْ سَقاماً.