حکمت 289: در گذشته برادری دینی داشتم که در چشم من… · Saying 289

وَ قَالَ (عليه السلام): كَانَ لِي فِيمَا مَضَي أَخٌ فِي اللَّهِ وَ كَانَ يُعْظِمُهُ فِي عَيْنِي صِغَرُ الدُّنْيَا فِي عَيْنِهِ وَ كَانَ خَارِجاً مِنْ سُلْطَانِ بَطْنِهِ فَلَا يَشْتَهِي مَا لَا يَجِدُ وَ لَا يُكْثِرُ إِذَا وَجَدَ وَ كَانَ أَكْثَرَ دَهْرِهِ صَامِتاً فَإِنْ قَالَ بَذَّ الْقَائِلِينَ وَ نَقَعَ غَلِيلَ السَّائِلِينَ وَ كَانَ ضَعِيفاً مُسْتَضْعَفاً فَإِنْ جَاءَ الْجِدُّ فَهُوَ لَيْثُ غَابٍ وَ صِلُّ وَادٍ لَا يُدْلِي بِحُجَّةٍ حَتَّي يَأْتِيَ قَاضِياً وَ كَانَ لَا يَلُومُ أَحَداً عَلَي مَا يَجِدُ الْعُذْرَ فِي مِثْلِهِ حَتَّي يَسْمَعَ اعْتِذَارَهُ وَ كَانَ لَا يَشْكُو وَجَعاً إِلَّا عِنْدَ بُرْئِهِ وَ كَانَ يَقُولُ مَا يَفْعَلُ وَ لَا يَقُولُ مَا لَا يَفْعَلُ وَ كَانَ إِذَا غُلِبَ عَلَي الْكَلَامِ لَمْ يُغْلَبْ عَلَي السُّكُوتِ وَ كَانَ عَلَي مَا يَسْمَعُ أَحْرَصَ مِنْهُ عَلَي أَنْ يَتَكَلَّمَ وَ كَانَ إِذَا بَدَهَهُ أَمْرَانِ يَنْظُرُ أَيُّهُمَا أَقْرَبُ إِلَي الْهَوَي فَيُخَالِفُهُ فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِهَذِهِ الْخَلَائِقِ فَالْزَمُوهَا وَ تَنَافَسُوا فِيهَا فَإِنْ لَمْ تَسْتَطِيعُوهَا فَاعْلَمُوا أَنَّ أَخْذَ الْقَلِيلِ خَيْرٌ مِنْ تَرْكِ الْكَثِيرِ

Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: In the past I had a brother in-faith, and he was prestigious in my view because the world was humble in his eyes, the needs of the stomach did not have sway over him, he did not for long for what he did not get; if he got a thing he would not ask for more; most his time he was silent, if he spoke he silenced the other speakers, he quenched the thirst of questioners, he was weak and feeble but at the time of fighting he was like the lion of the forest or the serpent of the valley, he would not put forth an argument unless it was decisive. He would not abuse anyone in an excusable matter unless he had heard the excuse, he wold not speak of any trouble except after its disappearance, he would say what he would do and would not say what he would not do, even if he could be exceesed in speaking, he could not be excelled in silence, he was more eager for keeping quiet than spwaking and if rwo things confronted him he would see which was more akin to the longing of the heart and he would oppose it. These qualities are incumbent upon you. So, you should acquire them and excel each other in them. Even if you cannot acquire them you should know that acquiring a part is better than giving up whole.