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

Enmity And The Enemy

Enmity and the Enemy-العدوّ والمعاداة

1. Being bound by straps is better [and more preferable] than accompanying the adversary.

1ـ اَلشَّدُّ بِالقِدِّ، وَلامُقارِنَةُ الضِّدِّ.

2. The cause of enmity is lack of empathy [and consideration for others].

2ـ عِلَّةُ المُعاداةِ قِلَّةُ المُبالاتِ.

3. Enmity of near ones is more unpleasant than the sting of the scorpions.

3ـ عَداوَةُ الأقارِبِ أمَرٌّ مِنْ لَسْعِ العَقارِبِ.

4. Too much enmity is disquieting for the hearts.

4ـ كَثْرَةُ العَداوَةِ عَناءُ القُلُوبِ.

5. Whoever stubbornly opposes the people, they hate him.

5ـ مَنْ عانَدَ النّاسَ مَقَتُوهُ.

6. Whoever manifests his enmity, his stratagems are reduced.

6ـ مَنْ أظْهَرَ عَداوَتَهُ قَلَّ كَيْدُهُ.

7. One who tries to overcome his adversary has embarked on a struggle.

7ـ مَنْ غالَبَ الضِّدَّ رَكِبَ الجِدَّ.

8. One who accompanies his adversary exhausts his body.

8ـ مَنْ قارَنَ ضِدَّهُ ضَنِيَ جَسَدَهُ.

9. One who reforms [and reconciles with] his enemy increases in his number.

9ـ مَنِ اسْتَصْلَحَ عَدُوَّهُ زادَ في عَدَدِهِ.

10. Whoever is unconcerned about you, then he is your enemy.

10ـ مَنْ لا يُبالِكَ فَهُوَ عَدُوُّكَ.

11. Whoever accompanies his adversary, he will expose his flaw and torment his heart.

11ـ مَنْ قارَنَ ضِدَّهُ كَشَفَ عَيْبَهُ وعَذَّبَ قَلْبَهُ.

12. One who is courteous with his adversaries is safe from battles.

12ـ مَنْ دارى أضْدادَهُ أمِنَ المَحارِبَ.

13. One who sleeps, neglecting his enemy, is jolted awake by [his] crafty schemes.

13ـ مَنْ نامَ عَنْ عَدُوِّهِ أنْبَهَتْهُ (نَبَّهَتْهُ) المَكائِدُ.

14. One who finds the enmity of men sweet tastes the bitterness of the hardships of war.

14ـ مَنِ اسْتَحْلى مُعاداةَ الرِّجالِ اِسْتَمَرَّ مُعاناةَ القِتالِ.

15. One who shows enmity towards the people reaps the fruit of regret.

15ـ مَنْ عادَي النّاسَ اِسْتَثْمَرَ النَّدامَةَ.

16. Whoever hides your fault from you and exposes your fault in your absence, then he is your [real] enemy, so be careful of him.

16ـ مَنْ ساتَرَكَ عَيْبَكَ، وعابَكَ في غَيْبِكَ فَهُوَ العَدُوُّ

17. Whoever shows enmity [with the people] his paths becomes rugged, his affair becomes difficult and his way out becomes narrow.

17ـ مَنْ شاقَّ وعِرَتْ عَلَيْهِ طُرُقُهُ، وأعْضَلَ عَلَيْهِ أمْرُهُ،

18. One who reforms his adversaries attains his goal.

18ـ مَنْ أصْلَحَ الأضْدادَ بَلَغَ المُرادَ.

19. One who derives benefit from harming you will never be free from his enmity for you in every situation.

19ـ مَنْ كانَ نَفْعُهُ في مَضَرَّتِكَ لَمْ يَخْلُ في كُلِّ حال مِنْ

20. Never do two people [or groups] quarrel but that the more foolish of the two wins the argument.

20ـ ما تَلاحى إثْنانِ فَظَهَرَ إلاّ أسْفَهُهُما.

21. Acting courteously with the enemies of Allah in their domains is a safeguard from the chastisement of Allah and a caution from the raging tribulations of this world.

21ـ مُجامَلَةُ أعْداءِ اللّهِ في دَوْلَتِهِمْ تَقِيَّةٌ مِنْ عَذابِ

22. Struggling against the enemies in their dominions and fighting against them despite their power is abandoning the command of Allah and exposing oneself to the tribulations of this world.

22ـ مُجاهَدَةُ الأعْداءِ في دَوْلَتِهِمْ، ومُناضَلَتُهُمْ مَعَ

23. Do not be adversaries of the blessings of Allah upon you.[^1]

23ـ لاتَـكُونُوا لِنِعَمِ اللّهِ عَلَيْكُمْ أضْداداً.

24. Do not face your adversary before you are powerful enough [to defeat him].

24ـ لاتُوقِعْ بِالعَدُوِّ قَبْلَ القُدْرَةِ.

25. Do not be fooled by the courteousness of the enemy for indeed he is like water, even if its heating by fire is prolonged, it is not prevented from extinguishing it.

25ـ لاتَغْتَرَنَّ بِمُجامَلَةِ العَدُوِّ فَإنَّهُ كَالماءِ وإنْ أُطيلَ

26. Do not confront your enemy while he is charging towards you, for indeed his charge will aid him to overcome you and do not confront him when he is fleeing away from you, for indeed his flight is sufficient for you in dealing with him.

26ـ لاتَعَرَّضْ لِعَدُوِّكَ وهُوَ مُقْبِلٌ، فَإنَّ إقْبالَهُ يُعْينُهُ

27. Do not declare your enmity to your enemy and do not rebuke your friend; and accept the excuse [you are given] even if it is a lie, and do not give [a forceful] response despite having the power to do so, even if it be your right.

27ـ لاتُنابِذْ عَدُوَّكَ، ولاتُقَرِّعْ صَديقَكَ، وأقْبَلِ العُذْرَ،

28. When you have hatred [for someone] then do not disassociate yourself [completely – and leave some room for possible future friendship].

28ـ إذا أبْغَضْتَ فَلا تَهْجُرْ.

29. Let the most hated of people to you and the furthest of them from you be the one who always seeks out the faults of people.

29ـ لِيَكُنْ أبْغَضُ النّاسِ إلَيْكَ وأبْعَدُهُمْ مِنْكَ أطْلَبَهُمْ

30. One who hates you incites you [to wrongdoing].

30ـ مَنْ أبْغَضَكَ أغْراكَ.

31. The enemy has been named ‘enemy’ because he wrongs you; so one who flatters you for your faults is in actually an enemy who is wronging you.

31ـ إنَّما سُمِّيَ العَدُوُّ عَدُوّاً لأنَّهُ يَعْدُوعَلَيْكَ، فَمَنْ

32. Keep away from the enemies of Allah and maintain ties with the friends of Allah.

32ـ زائِلُوا أعْداءَ اللّهِ وواصِلُوا أوْلِياءَ اللّهِ.

33. The worst of enemies is the one who goes to the greatest lengths and is most secretive in his plotting.

33ـ شَـرُّ الأعْداءِ أبْعَدُهُمْ غَوْراً، وأخْفاهُمْ مَكيدَةً.

34. At times enemies may deceive [and pretend to be well-wishers].

34ـ قَدْ يَخْدَعُ الأعْداءُ.

35. One who sows enmity [and aggression] reaps loss.

35ـ مَنْ زَرَعَ العُدْوانَ حَصَدَ الخُسْرانَ.

36. Treating the enemy with kindness is one of the two victories.

36ـ اَلأخْذُ عَلَى العَدُوِّ بِالفَضْلِ، أحَدُ الظَّفَرَيْنِ.

37. Being courteous when trying to accomplish something is more effective than other means.

37ـ اَلتَّلَطُّفُ فِي الْحِيلَةِ أجدى مِنَ الوَسيلَةِ.

38. With regards to your enemy, be on the lookout for possibility [of defeating him] and seize opportunity, you will be [thus become] triumphant.

38ـ اِسْتَعْمِلْ مَعَ عَدُوِّكَ مُراقِبَةَ الإمكانِ وَانْتِهاضَ

39. The weakest of enemies in plotting is the one who manifests his enmity.

39ـ أوْهَنُ الأعْداءِ كَيْداً مَنْ أظْهَرَ عَداوَتَهُ.

40. One enemy is plenty.

40ـ اَلواحِدُ مِنَ الأعْداءِ كَثيرٌ.

41. Reforming [and reconciliation with] the enemies through good words and beautiful actions is easier than facing them and combating them with the torment of battle.

41ـ اَلاِسْتِصْلاحُ لِلأعْداءِ بِحُسْنِ المَقالِ، وجَمِيلِ الأفْعالِ،

42. One who reforms [and reconciles with] his opponents attains his goal.

42ـ مَنِ اسْتَصْلَحَ الأضْدادَ بَلَغَ المُرادَ.

43. Do not consider yourself safe from an enemy, even if he is grateful.

43ـ لاتَأمَنْ عَدُوّاً وإنْ شَكَرَ.

44. Never underestimate an enemy, even if he is weak.

44ـ لاتَسْتَصْغِرَنَّ عَدُوّاً وإنْ ضَعُفَ.

45. Showing enmity towards the people is a trait of the ignorant ones.

45ـ مُعاداةُ الرِّجالِ مِنْ شِيَمِ الجُهّالِ.

46. One who unsheathes the sword of aggression is killed by it.

46ـ مَنْ سَلَّ سَيْفَ العُدْوانِ قُتِلَ بِهِ.

47. Stances of [enmity and] hatred anger the Most Merciful, please Satan and disgrace man.

47ـ مَواقِفُ الشَّنَئانِ تُسْخِطُ الرَّحْمنَ، وتَرْضِي الشَّيْطانَ،

48. One who exceeds in [his] animosity has sinned and one who falls short [and does not show enmity when it is required] is defeated.

48ـ مَنْ بالَغَ فِي الخِصامِ أثِمَ، ومَنْ قَصَّرَ عَنْهُ خُصِمَ.

49. He who has animosity [towards others] is not capable of fearing Allah.

49ـ لايَسْتَطيعُ أنْ يَتَّقِيَ اللّهَ مَنْ خاصَمَ.

50. Quarrels [and disputes] manifest the foolishness of a person and do not increase in his right.

50ـ اَلمُخاصَمَةُ تُبْدي سَفَهَ الرَّجُلِ ولاتَزيدُ في حَقِّهِ.

51. One whose transgression (or antagonism) increases, his enemies increase.

51ـ مَنْ كَثُرَ تَعَدِّيهِ (تَعاديهِ) كَثُرَتْ أعاديهِ.

52. Power is lost through aggression [and oppression].

52ـ القُدْرَةُ يُزيلُهَا العُدْوانُ.

[^1]: Or: Do not be enemies [of each other] for the [sake of the] blessings of Allah upon you.