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

Sight, Observation And Insight

Sight, Observation and Insight البصر والنظر والبصير والبصيرة

1. Where are the eyes that glance at the [illuminated] signposts of piety?

1ـ أيْنَ الأبصارُ اللامِحَةُ مَنارَ التَّقْوى؟

2. The most observant person is one who sees his own faults and refrains from his sins.

2ـ أبْصَرُ النَّاسِ مَنْ أبْصَرَ عُيُوبَهُ، وأقْلَعَ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِ.

3. [It is narrated that at one time some people looked at a passing woman with lust, at which point the Imam (‘a) said:] Verily the eyes of these virile males are covetous and this glancing is the cause of their lust. Whenever any of you sees a woman whom he finds attractive, he should go to his wife, because she [too] is a woman like her.

3ـ إنَّ أبصارَ هذِهِ الفُحُولِ طوامِحُ، وهُوَ سَبَبُ هَبابِها، فإذا

4. Indeed the perceptive person is one who listens and then ponders, sees then reflects, and derives benefit from examples.

4ـ إنَّما البَصيرُ مَنْ سَمِعَ فَفَكَّرَ، ونظَرَ فَأبْصَرَ، وانْتَفَعَ

5. It is through observation [and reflection] that lessons are learned.

5ـ بِالإسْتِبْصارِ يَحصُلُ الإعتِبارُ.

6. The loss of eyesight is better than the blinding of insight.

6ـ ذَهابُ البَصَرِ خَيْـرٌ مِنْ عَمَى البَصيرَةِ.

7. Loss of vision is better than looking at something that causes temptation.

7ـ ذَهابُ النَّظَرِ خَيْرٌ مِنَ النَّـظَرِ إلى ما يُوجِبُ الفِتْنَةَ.

8. Sometimes the one who can see [also] loses his way.

8ـ رُبَّما أخْطَأ البَصيرُ رُشْدَهُ.

9. Loss of eyesight is easier than loss of insight.

9ـ فَقْدُ البَصََـرِأهْوَنُ مِنْ فِقْدانِ البَصيرَةِ.

10. One who has lost his sight makes wrong judgments.

10ـ فاقِدُ البَصَرِ فاسِدُ النَّظَرِ.

11. Indeed the secrets have been revealed for people of insight.

11ـ قَدِ انْجابَتْ السَّرائِرُ لأهْلِ البَصائِـرِ.

12. You are shown if you observe, made to hear if you listen, and guided if you seek guidance.

12ـ لَقَدْ بُصِّرْتُمْ إنْ أبْصَرْتُمْ، واُسْمِعْتُمْ إنْ سَمِعْتُمْ،

13. Whoever reflects with astuteness, wisdom gets established for him and he understands the lesson [of the past].

13ـ مَنْ تَبَصَّـرَ فيِ الفِطْنَةِ ثَبَتَتْ لَهُ الحِكْمَةُ وعَرِفَ

14. Eyesight is of no benefit if insight is blinded.

14ـ نَظَرُ البَصَرِ لايُجدي إذا عَمِيَتِ البَصيرَةُ.

15. One who does not ponder has no insight.

15ـ لابَصيرَةَ لِمَنْ لا فِكْرَ لَهُ.

16. The glance is a pathfinder of infatuations.

16ـ اَللَّحْظُ رائِدُ الفِتَنِ.

17. Many a passion is aroused by a [single] glance.

17ـ رُبَّ صَبابَة غُرِسَتْ مِنْ لَحْظَة.

18. The blinding of sight is better than a lot of gazing [at what is forbidden].

18ـ عَمَى البَصَرِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ كَثير مِنَ النَّظَرِ.

19. How many a passion has been aroused from a [single] glance!

19ـ كَمْ مِنْ صَبابَة اكْتُسِبَتْ مِنْ لَحْظَة.

20. How many gazes have led to regret!

20ـ كَمْ مِنْ نَظْرَة جَلَبَتْ حَسْرَةً.

21. A person’s glance is the scout of his heart.

21ـ لَحْظُ الإنسانِ رائِدُ قَلْبِهِ.

22. One who glances [everywhere] freely, his regret increases.

22ـ مَنْ أطْلَقَ طَرْفَهُ كَثُرَ أسَفُُهُ.

23. Vision is not attained by sight [alone], for sight can fool its possessor.

23ـ لَيْسَ الرُّؤْيَةُ مَعَ الأبْصارِ، قَدْ تَكْذِبُ الأبْصارُ