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

Virtues And Vices

Virtues and vices-الفضائل والرَّذائِل

1. Compel yourself to [acquire] virtues, for indeed you have a natural propensity for vices.

1ـ أكْرِهْ نَفْسَكَ عَلَى الفَضائِلِ، فَإنَّ الرَّذائِلَ أنْتَ

2. Ascending towards virtues is a hardship that saves.

2ـ اَلاِرْتِقاءُ إلَى الفَضائِلِ صَعْبٌ مُنـْج.

3. Your knowledge conveys your merit and your generosity tells of your kindness.

3ـ يُنْبِئُ عَنْ فَضْلِكَ عِلْمُكَ وعَنْ إفْضالِكَ بَذْلُكَ.

4. When you keep away from the forbidden, refrain from that which you are unsure about, fulfil that which is obligatory and perform the acts that are recommended, then you have perfected the virtues of faith.

4ـ إذَا اتَّقَيْتَ المُحَرماتِ، وتَوَرَّعْتَ عَنِ الشُّبَهاتِ

5. The peak of [all] merits is controlling anger and eradicating lustful desires.

5ـ رَأْسُ الفَضائِلِ مُلْكُ الغَضَبِ وإماتَةُ الشَّهْوَةِ.

6. During successive hardships the virtues of a person become manifest.

6ـ عِنْدَ تَعاقُبِ الشَّدائِدِ تَظْهَرُ فَضائِلُ الإنْسانِ.

7. The symbol of a person’s merit is his intelligence and good character.

7ـ عُنْوانُ فَضيلَةِ المَرْءِ عَقْلُهُ، وحُسْنُ خُلْقِهِ.

8. The highest of all merits is intelligence.

8ـ غايَةُ الفَضائِلِ العَقْلُ.

9. The highest of all merits is knowledge.

9ـ غايَةُ الفَضائِلِ العِلْمُ.

10. The merit of a man is known from his speech.

10ـ فَضْلُ الرَّجُلِ يُعْرَفُ مِنْ قَوْلِهِ.

11. Merit is [acquired] by perfection [of character] and noble deeds, not through excessive wealth and eminent feats.

11ـ اَلفَضِيلَةُ بِحُسْنِ الكَمالِ، وَمَكارِمِ الأفْعالِ، لابِكَثْرَةِ

12. Virtue is overcoming [one’s bad] habit.

12ـ اَلفَضيلَةُ غَلَبَةُ العادَةِ.

13. The pride of a man is by his merit, not because of his origin [and lineage].

13ـ فَخْرُ المَرْءِ بِفَضْلِهِ لابِأصْلِهِ.

14. The merit of a person is [lies in] doing good to others.

14ـ فَضيلَةُ الإنْسانِ بَذْلُ الإحْسانِ.

15. He who overcomes his anger and controls the impulses of his lustful desires has acquired virtue.

15ـ فازَ بِالفَضيلَةِ مَنْ غَلَبَ غَضَبَهُ، وَمَلَكَ نَوازِعَ

16. It suffices as a merit for a man to humble himself.

16ـ كَفى بِالمَرْءِ فَضيلَةً أنْ يُنَقِّصَ نَفْسَهُ.

17. The perfection of virtues is [in] honourable qualities.

17ـ كَمالُ الفَضائِلِ شَرَفُ الخَلائِقِ.

18. The human being has two merits: intellect and speech; he derives benefit through his intellect and benefits others by his speech.

18ـ لِلإنْسانِ فَضيلَتانِ: عَقْلٌ، ومَنْطِقٌ، فَبِالعَقْلِ يَسْتَفيدُ،

19. Lineage is not defined by the fathers and mothers, rather [it is defined] by the praiseworthy merits.

19ـ لَيْسَتِ الأنْسابُ بِالآباءِ والأُمَّهاتِ لكِنَّها بِالفَضائِلِ

20. One whose merits are few, his means are weak.

20ـ مَنْ قَلَّتْ فَضائِلُهُ ضَعُفَتْ وَسائِلُهُ.

21. From the best of merits is accepting the excuse of the wrongdoer.

21ـ مِنْ أحْسَنِ الفَضْلِ قَبُولُ عُذْرِالجاني.

22. It is from the merit of a man not to put the one whom he has been forbearing with under obligation.

22ـ مِنْ فَضْلِ الرَّجُلِ أنْ لا يَمُنَّ بِمَا احْتَمَلَهُ حِلْمُهُ.

23. Performing good deeds and spreading goodness are from the greatest virtues.

23 ـ مِنْ أفْضَلِ الفَضائِلِ اِصْطِناعُ الصَّنايِـعِ، وَبَثُّ

24. Through the gaining of merits the enemy is subdued.

24ـ بِاكْتِسابِ الفَضائِلِ يُكْبَتُ المُعادي.

25. The consolidation of merits is in doing good to the freeman and being kind to the people of virtue.

25ـ جِماعُ الفَضْلِ فِي اصْطِناعِ الحُرِّ، والإحْسانِ إلى أهْلِ

26. Safeguarding the tongue and doing good to others are from the best merits of a human being.

26ـ حِفْظُ اللِّسانِ وبَذْلُ الإحْسانِ مِنْ أفْضَلِ فَضائِلِ

27. Become distinguished by virtues and renounce vices.

27ـ كُنْ مُتَّصِفاً بِالفَضائِلِ، مُتَبَرِّءً مِنَ الرَّذائِلِ.

28. The best of virtues is granting the wishes and fulfilling the needs of the seeker and being moderate in what one seeks.

28ـ أفْضَلُ الفَضائِلِ بَذْلُ الرَّغائِبِ، وإسْعافُ الطَّالِبِ

29. The best of virtues is establishing ties with the one who has distanced himself, being cordial with the one who is averse, and holding the hand of the one who stumbles.

29ـ أفْضَلُ الفَضائِلِ صِلَةُ الهاجِرِ، وإيناسُ النّافِرِ، والأخْذُ

30. Verily only the virtuous know the merit of the people of virtue.

30ـ إنَّما يَعْرِفُ الفَضْلَ لأهْلِ الفَضْلِ أُولُوا الفَضْلِ.

31. Your virtue is proven by your action and your munificence by your open-handedness.

31ـ يُسْتَدَلُّ عَلى فَضْلِكَ بِعَمَلِكَ، وَعَلى كَرَمِكَ بِبَذْلِكَ.