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

Opportunity And Its Loss

Opportunity and its loss-الفرصة وفوتها

1. Not everything that has gone comes back.

1ـ لَيْسَ كُلُّ غائِب يَؤُُوُبُ.

2. One who takes advantage of [unexpected] opportunities remains safe from distress.

2ـ مَنْ غافَصَ الفُرَصَ أمِنَ الغُصَصَ.

3. Whoever finds a place where sweet water enters and he can quench his thirst with it but does not take advantage of it, he will soon feel thirsty and seek it, but will not find it.

3ـ مَنْ وَجَدَ مَوْرِداً عَذْباً يَرْتَوي مِنْهُ فَلَمْ يَغْتَنِمْهُ

4. Many a lost thing is such that it cannot be regained.

4ـ رُبَّ فائِت لايُدْرَكُ لِحاقُهُ.

5. It may be that he who strives and acts quickly is saved [and succeeds] while the slow seeker [only] hopes [to attain it in the future].

5ـ رُبَّ ساع سَريع نَجا، وطالِب بَطيء رَجا.

6. The return of an opportunity [that is lost] is far off and unlikely.

6ـ عَوْدُ الفُرْصَةِ بَعيدٌ مَرامُها.

7. Seize the opportunity when it arises, for indeed you will not get it [again] after you lose it.

7ـ غافِصِ الفُرْصَةَ عِنْدَ إمْكانِها فَإنَّكَ غَيْرُ مُدْرِكِها

8. Breathe before the necks are strangled, and yield before being driven violently.

8ـ تَنَفَّسُوا قَبْلَ ضيقِ الخِناقِ، وانْقادُوا قَبْلَ عُنْفِ

9. Take the respite of the days, protect the boundaries of Islam, and anticipate the sudden attack of death.

9ـ خُذُوا مَهَلَ الأيّامِ، وحُوطُواْ قَواصِيَ الإسْلامِ، وبادِرُوا

10. May Allah have mercy on the one who takes the benefit of respite [and opportunity], hastens towards good deeds and cowers out of fear [of Allah].

10ـ رَحِمَ اللّهُ امْرَءاً إغْتَنَمَ المَهَلَ، وبادَرَ العَمَلَ،

11. Opportunity is quick to pass on and slow to return.

11ـ اَلفُرْصَةُ سَريعَةُ الفَوْتِ، وبَطيئَةُ العَوْدِ.

12. The [passing of] hours diminishes lifetimes and bring [one] closer to annihilation.

12ـ السّاعاتُ تَخْتَرِمُ الأعْمارَ، وتُدْنِي مِنَ البَوارِ.

13. Arrange an abode for yourself before your descent and prepare the dwelling before your arrival.

13ـ اِرْتَدْ لِنَفْسِكَ قَبْلَ يَوْمِ نُزُولِكَ، ووَطِّ المَنْزِلَ

14. Make your time of comfort a [means of] preparation for the days of your tribulation.

14ـ اِجْعَل زَمانَ رَخائِكَ عُدَّةً لأيّامِ بَلائِكَ.

15. Opportunities are things that are [meant to be] seized.

15ـ اَلفُرَصُ خُلَسٌ.

16. Loss [of opportunities] are [a cause of] distress.

16ـ اَلفَوْتُ غُصَصٌ.

17. Opportunity is a booty.

17ـ اَلفُرْصَةُ غُنْمٌ.

18. Loss [of opportunity leads to] burning regrets.

18ـ اَلفَوْتُ حَسَراتٌ مُحْرِقاتٌ.

19. The lost [opportunity] does not return.

19ـ اَلفائِتُ لايَعُودُ.

20. Losing an opportunity is distressful.

20ـ إضاعَةُ الفُرْصَةِ غُصَّةٌ.

21. Times of happiness are short-lived.

21ـ أوْقاتُ السُّرُورِ خُلْسَةٌ.

22. Opportunities pass by like the passing of clouds.

22ـ اَلفُرَصُ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحابِ.

23. When what you want does not happen, then want what happens [and be satisfied with it].

23ـ إذا لَمْ يَكُنْ ما تُريدُ فَأَرِدْ ما يَكُونُ.

24. When the opportunity arises, then seize it, for indeed wasting an opportunity leads to distress.

24ـ إذا أمْكَنَتِ الفُرْصَةُ فَانْتَهِزْها، فَإنَّ إضاعَةَ الفُرْصَةِ

25. Seize good opportunities, for indeed they pass by [quickly] like the passing of clouds.

25ـ اِنْتَهِزُوا فُرَصَ الخَيْرِ فَإنَّها تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحابِ.

26. The greatest distress is [caused by] loss of opportunities.

26ـ أشَدُّ الغُصَصِ فَوْتُ الفُرَصِ.

27. Verily that which has passed from your day has gone, and that which remains from it is not certain, so take advantage of your [present] time by performing [good] actions.

27ـ إنَّ ماضِيَ يَوْمِكَ مُنْتَقِلٌ، وباقِيَهُ مُتَّهِمٌ، فَاغْتَنِمْ

28. Verily opportunities pass away [quickly] like the clouds, so seize them when they arise in the gates of good, otherwise they will turn into regrets.

28ـ إنَّ الفُرَصَ تَمُرُّ مَرَّ السَّحابِ فَانْتَهِزُوها إذا أمْكَنَتْ

29. The fruit of loss [of opportunity] is regret.

29ـ ثَمَرَةُ الفَوْتِ نَدامَةٌ.

30. For everything there is a passing away.

30ـ لِكُلِّ شَيْء فَوْتٌ.

31. With loss there is regret.

31ـ مَعَ الفَوْتِ تَكُونُ الحَسْرَةُ.

32. There is no regret like loss [of an opportunity].

32ـ لاحَسْرَةَ كَالفَوْتِ.

33. Preparation does not benefit when the time has elapsed.

33ـ لاتَنْفَعُ العُدَّةُ إذا مَا انْقَضَتِ المُدَّةُ.

34. What has passed of your day is lost, what is to come is uncertain; your time is a blessing, so make haste in it while you have the opportunity, and beware of relying on the future.

34ـ ماضي يَوْمِكَ فائِتٌ، وآتيهِ مُتَّهَمْ، ووَقْتُكَ مُغْتَنَمٌ،

35. In loss [of opportunity] there is regret and (or) blame.

35ـ فِي الفَوْتِ حَسْرَةٌ و(أوْ)مَلامَةٌ.

36. In every moment there is loss.

36ـ في كُلِّ وَقْت فَوْتٌ.

37. At times an opportunity may arise.[^1]

37ـ قَدْ تُصابُ الفُرْصَةُ.

38. You will never attain that which has been taken away from you so be moderate in your acquisition.

38ـ لَنْ تُدْرِكَ ما زُوِيَ عَنْكَ فَأجْمِلْ فِي المُكْتَسَبِ.

39. Not every opportunity can be realized.

39ـ لَيْسَ كُلُّ فُرْصَة تُصابُ.

40. One who lets an opportunity pass by is crippled by its loss.

40ـ مَنْ قَعَدَ عَنِ الفُرْصَةِ أعْجَزَهُ الفَوْتُ.

41. Whoever delays taking an opportunity at the right time, then let him be sure that he will lose it.

41ـ مَنْ أخَّرَ الفُرْصَةَ عَنْ وَقْتِها فَلْيَكُنْ عَلى ثِقَة مِنْ

42. One who seizes the opportunity is saved from distress.

42ـ مَنْ ناهَزَ الفُرْصَةَ أمِنَ الغُصَّةَ.

43. Not everything that disappears comes back.

43ـ ما كُلُّ غائِب يَؤُوبُ.

44. One who tarries lets [the opportunity] go.

44ـ مَنْ تَقاعَسَ إعْتاقَ.

[^1]: Or: At times an opportunity is realized.