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

Flaws And Faults

Flaws and faults-العيب والنقص والعورة

1. The greatest flaw is that you fault others for what is [also] in you.

1ـ أكْبَرُ العَيْبِ أنْ تَعيبَ غَيْرَكَ بِما هُوَ فيكَ.

2. The most incompetent of all people is one who is able to remove a flaw in himself but does not do so.

2ـ أعْجَزُ النّاسِ مَنْ قَدَرَ عَلى أنْ يُزيلَ النَّقْصَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ

3. Verily everyone has faults, so do not expose that which is hidden from you, for indeed Allah, the Glorified, has hidden them out of clemency; and hide the faults [of others] as much as possible, [and in return] Allah, the Glorified, will hide that which you would like to remain hidden.

3ـ إنَّ لِلنّاسِ عُيُوباً، فَلا تَكْشِفْ ما غابَ عَنْكَ، فَإنَّ اللّهَ

4. The inner hearts will soon become aware of the secret faults.

4ـ تَكادُ ضَمائِرُ القُلُوبِ تَطَّلِعُ عَلى سَرائِرِ العُيُوبِ.

5. Scrutinizing the faults of others is a fault [in itself].

5ـ تَأَمُّلُ العَيْبِ عَيْبٌ.

6. I am surprised at the one about whom it is said: ‘Indeed in him there is evil,’ and he knows it is in him, how can he be annoyed?

6ـ عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يُقالُ: إنَّ فيهِ الشَّـرَّ الَّذي يَعْلَمُ أنَّهُ

7. I am amazed at the one who is described with a good trait that he knows is not in him, how can he be pleased?

7ـ عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يُوصَفُ بِالخَيْرِ الَّذي يَعْلَمُ أنَّهُ لَيْسَ

8. Those with faults love to spread the faults of people so that they get a greater excuse for their own faults.

8ـ ذَوُوا العُيُوبِ يُحِبُّونَ إشاعَةَ مَعائِبِ النّاسِ لِيَتَّسِعَ

9. I am amazed at one who disapproves of the faults of people while he has more faults himself and does not see them.

9ـ عَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ يُنْكِرُ عُيُوبَ النّاسِ ونَفْسُهُ أكْثَرُ شَـيْء

10. The eyes of the lover are blind to the faults of his beloved, and his ears are deaf to the ugliness of his evils.

10ـ عَيْنُ المُحِبِّ عَمِيَّةٌ عَنْ مَعائِبِ المَحْبُوبِ، وأُذُنُهُ

11. Covering up the faults [of others] is generosity and virtue.

11ـ غِطاءُ العُيُوبِ السَّخاءُ والعَفافُ.

12. A person’s own faults are enough to keep him occupied from the faults of other people.

12ـ كَفى بِالمَرْءِ شُغْلاً (شُغْلُهُ) بِمَعائِبِه ِ عَنْ مَعائِبِ

13. Let what one knows of his own faults hold him back from [disclosing] what he knows of the faults of others.

13ـ لِيَكُفَّ مَنْ عَلِمَ مِنْكُمْ عَنْ عَيْبِ غَيْرِهِ ما يَعْرِفُ

14. Let that which you know of your own faults prevent you from mentioning the faults of others.

14ـ لِيَنْهَكَ عَنْ ذِكْرِ مَعائِبِ النّاسِ ما تَعْرِفُ مِنْ

15. Let the most preferred people in your eyes be the ones who guide you to your faults and help you to reform yourself.

15ـ لِيَكُنْ آثَرُ النّاسِ عِنْدَكَ مَنْ أهْدى إلَيْكَ عَيْبَكَ

16. Let the most beloved of all people to you be one who guides you to the right and discloses your faults to you.

16ـ لِيَكُنْ أحَبُّ النّاسِ إلَيْكَ مَنْ هَداكَ إلى مَراشِدِكَ،

17. Not every fault is manifested.

17ـ لَيْسَ كُلُّ عَوْرَة تَظْهَرُ.

18. If the deficient person came to know of his own deficiency, he would be greatly disturbed by what he learnt of his faults.

18ـ لَوْ عَرَفَ المَنْقُوصُ نَقْصَهُ لَساءَهُ ما يَرى مِنْ عَيْبِهِ.

19. One who seeks a fault [in others] will find it.

19ـ مَنْ طَلَبَ عَيْباً وَجَدَهُ.

20. One who shows you your fault has indeed counselled you.

20ـ مَنْ بَصَّرَكَ عَيْبَكَ فَقَدْ نَصَحَكَ.

21. One who knows what [flaw] is in himself hides the faults of his brother.

21ـ مَنْ عَلِمَ ما فيهِ سَتَـرَ عَلى أخيهِ.

22. One who informs you of your faults is indeed your friend.

22ـ مَنْ أبانَ لَكَ عَيْبَكَ فَهُوَ وَدُودُكَ.

23. One who hides your faults [from you] is indeed your enemy.

23ـ مَنْ ساتَرَ عَيْبَكَ فَهُوَ عَدُوُّكَ.

24. One who discloses your faults to you guards you in your absence.

24ـ مَنْ كاشَفَكَ في عَيْبِكَ حَفِظَكَ في غيْبِكَ.

25. One who flatters you for your fault, criticizes you in your absence.

25 ـ مَنْ داهَنَكَ في عَيْبِكَ عابَكَ في غيْبِكَ.

26. One who sees his own faults does not fault anyone.

26ـ مَنْ أبْصَرَ عَيْبَ نَفْسهِ لَمْ يَعِبْ أحَداً.

27. One who is looking for the faults of people should start with himself.

27ـ مَنْ بَحَثَ عَنْ عُيُوبِ النّاسِ فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِنَفْسِهِ.

28. Whoever disapproves of the faults of people but accepts them in himself, then that is a fool.

28ـ مَنْ أنْكَرَ عُيُوبَ النّاسِ، ورَضِيَها لِنَفْسِهِ، فَذلِكَ

29. One who belittles others for that which he himself does, then that is an imbecile.

29ـ مَنْ أزْرى عَلى غَيْرِهِ بِما يَأتِيهِ فَذلِكَ الأخْرَقُ.

30. One of the greatest faults of a person is for his flaws to be hidden to him.

30ـ مِنْ أشَدِّ عُيُوبِ المَرْءِ أنْ تَخْفى عَلَيْهِ عُيُوبُهُ.

31. Nothing prevents any of you from meeting his brother who has a fault which he hates [and advising him to reform] except the fear that he too may meet you with a similar fault; indeed you have joined together in the love of this transitory [life] and have rejected the Hereafter.

31ـ ما يَمْنَعُ أحَدَكُمْ أنْ يَلْقى أخاهُ بِما يَكْرَهُ مِنْ عَيْبِهِ

32. He who mentions your faults has not guarded you in your absence.

32ـ ما حَفِظَ غَيْبَكَ مَنْ ذَكَرَ عَيْبَكَ.

33. He who points you to your faults and guards [your honour in] your absence has spared no efforts in advising you.

33ـ ما أَلاكَ جُهْداً فِي النَّصيحَةِ مَنْ دَلَّكَ عَلى عَيْبِكَ

34. A person’s cognizance of his own faults is the most beneficial knowledge.

34ـ مَعْرِفَةُ المَرْءِ بِعُيُوبِهِ أنْفَعُ المَعارِفِ.

35. Never pursue the faults of people, for indeed if you think about it, you have of your own faults that which will keep you occupied from finding faults in others.

35ـ لاتَتَّبِعَنَّ عُيُوبَ النّاسِ فَإنَّ لَكَ مِنْ عُيُوبِكَ إنْ

36. Do not fault others for that which you do yourself, and do not punish (or rebuke) others for the sin that you permit yourself [to indulge in].

36ـ لاتَعِبْ غَيْرَكَ بِما تَأْتِيهِ، وَلاتُعاقِبْ (وَلا تُعاتِبْ)

37. Pursuing the faults [of others] is from the gravest evils.

37ـ تَتَتُّعُ العَوْراتِ مِنْ أعْظَمِ السَؤْآتِ.

38. Pursuing the faults [of others] is from the most detestable of faults and worst evils.

38ـ تَتَبُّعُ العُيُوبِ مِنْ أقْبَحِ العُيُوبِ وشَـرِّ السَّيِّئاتِ.

39. Whoever exposes his brother’s veil [and reveals his flaws], the faults of his own household (or family) get exposed.

39ـ مَنْ كَشَفَ حِجابَ أخيهِ اِنْكَشَفَ عَوْراةُ بَيْتِهِ(بَنِيهِ).

40. One who pursues the faults of people, Allah exposes his own faults.

40ـ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ عَوْراتِ النَّاسِ كَشَفَ اللّهُ عَوْرَتَهُ.

41. One who seeks to learn about the secrets of his neighbour, his [own] curtains [of secrets] are torn apart.

41ـ مَنْ تَطَلَّعَ عَلى أسْرارِ جارِهِ اِنْهَتَكَتْ أسْتارُهُ.

42. Whoever searches for the secrets of others, Allah uncovers his own secrets.

42ـ مَنْ بَحَثَ عَنْ أسْرارِ غَيْـرِهِ أظْهَرَ اللّهُ أسْرارَهُ.

43. Whoever pursues the hidden flaws [of others], Allah makes the affection of the hearts forbidden to him.

43ـ مَنْ تَتَبَّعَ خَفِيّاتِ العُيُوبِ حَرَمَهُ اللّهُ مَوَدّاتِ

44. Hide the flaw of your brother because of what you know is in yourself.

44ـ أُسْتُرْ عَوْرَةَ أخِيكَ لِما تَعْلَمُهُ فيكَ.

45. Hide the flaws [of others] as much as you can and Allah, the Glorified, will hide for you that which you would like to remain hidden.

45ـ أُسْتُرِ العَوْرَةَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ يَسْتُـرِ اللّهُ سُبْحانَهُ

46. The most hated of all people is the fault-finder.

46ـ أمْقَتُ النّاسِ اَلعَيّابُ.