O son, I command you to fear God in richness and poverty, cling to the word of right in satisfaction and rage, be moderate in richness and poverty, be fair to your friends and enemies, work in activity and laziness, and satisfy yourself with Allah is crises and luxury.
O son, an evil that is followed by Paradise is not a true evil, and a welfare that is followed by Hell is not a true welfare. Every comfort other than Paradise is valueless and every misfortune other than Hell is a good health.
You should know, O my son, that he who notices his own flaws will give up chasing others’ flaws. Nothing will cover those who strip the covers of piety. He who satisfies himself with Allah’s distribution (of sustenance) will not be sad for that which misses him. He who unsheathes the sword of aggression will be killed with it. He who digs a well for his brother will fall in it. The screens of the houses of those who tear others’ screens will be exposed. He who neglects his sin will see the others’ sins as great. He who overdoes will be exhausted. He who pushes himself in the risks will be sunken. He who prefers his opinion will deviate. He who clings only to his own views will make mistakes. He who shows arrogance against people will be humiliated. He who associates with the scholars will be respected. He who associates with the mean ones will be disgraced. He who belittles people will be insulted. He who intrudes himself in evils will be accused. He who jokes will be disrespected. He who gives much of something will be known of it. Much speech leads to much erring. Much erring leads to decreased pudency. Little pudency leads to decreased piety. Little piety deadens the heart. The dead-hearted will be in Hell.
O son, the actual foolish is he who looks in people’s defects and accepts the same defects for himself. He who ponders (over things) will surely learn lessons. He who learns lessons will surely retire. He who retires will be in safe. He who neglects the passions will live in freedom. People will bear love to those who leave envy.
O son, the honor of the (faithful) believer is to dispense with people. Satisfaction is a never-ending treasure. He who mentions death frequently will satisfy himself with little worldly pleasures. He who realizes that his words are within his deeds will speak of nothing except what benefits him.
O son, how strange that who fears the punishment and does not cease from doing evil is! How strange that who wishes for the rewards and does not repent or work is!
O son, intelligence casts on illumination, inadvertence casts on gloom, and ignorance casts on deviation. The actual happy is that who learns lessons from the others. Morality is the best heritage. The best friend is the good mannerism. No growth can be expected from rupturing relations with the relatives and no wealth should be waited from lechery.
O son, good health is of ten parts, nine of which lies in silence except in situations of reference to Allah, and one lies in the abandonment of associating with the foolish ones.
O son, for those who dress the acts of disobedience to Allah in their meetings, Allah will cast humility on them. He who seeks studies will surely learn.
O son, lenience is the head of knowledge, and idiocy is its epidemic. Patience in misfortunes is one of the treasures of faith. Continence is the adornment of poverty. Thanking is the adornment of richness. Excessive visits create boredom. Tranquility is the opposite of prudence if it precedes awareness. Self-esteem refers to weak-mindedness’ son, many views have brought sorrow, and many words have deprived of grace.
O son, there is no honor higher than Islam, no generosity more glorious than God-fearing, no for-tress more protective than piety, no interceder more successful than repentance, no dress fitter than good health, and no wealth more sufficient than satisfaction with the sustenance. He who confines himself to the minimum necessity will have rest before others and will find himself a place in the tranquil life.
O son, acquisitiveness is the key to fatigue, the mount of exhaustion, and the leader to the commitment of sins. Avidity is the comprehensive of defects. The matters that you abominate from others should be sufficient discipliners for you. Your friend should enjoy the same rights that you enjoy. He who engages himself in an affair before examining the outcome will suffer misfortunes. Planning before working saves from sorrow. He who propounds the opinions will realize the places of errors. Patience is a protector against poverty. Niggardliness is the dress of misery. Acquisitiveness is the sign of destitution. A poor man who keeps good relations is better than a wealthy one who breaks his relations (with others). Everything has a food. Son of Adam –man; is the food of death.
O son, do not make a sinner despair. Many adopters of sins enjoy a happy end and many benevolent ones rupture their deeds and deserve Hell. Allah may protect us from Hell.
O son, many disobedient ones may be saved and many benevolent ones may fail. The provisions of those who adhere to honesty will be easily attainable. The good lies in defying the passions. Hours reduce the age. Woe to the aggressors, because of the presence of the best of judges and the knower of the hidden of those who hide.
O son, violence against the servants (of Allah) is the worst supplies to the world to come. Every dose has a choke and every meal has a lump in the throat. No grace can be obtained unless another is missed. Rest is very close to fatigue, misery is very close to bliss, death is very close to life, and illness is very close to health. Blessed be those who behave faithfully to Allah in
action, knowledge, love, hatred, receipt, leave, speech, silence, deeds, and words. Excellent is the knowledgeable who acts seriously and gets ready as he fears death. He gives advice when he is asked, and keeps peace when he is neglected. His wording is true and his silence is an answer without exhaustion. Woe to those who suffer deprivation, disappointment, and disobedience. They satisfy themselves with what they hate from others and disgrace people for doing what they themselves do.
O son, you should know that the affection of those whose wording is lenient is obligatory.
May Allah guide you to your prosperity and reckon you with the people of his obedience, by the help of His potency. He is surely All-Benevolent and All-Generous.