و درود خدا بر او فرمود: کسی که خود را رهبر مردم ساخته، باید پیش از آنکه به تعلیم دیگران پردازد، خود را بسازد، و پیش از آنکه به گفتار تربیت… Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever places himself as a leader of the people should commence with educating his own self…

وَ قَالَ (عليه السلام): مَنْ نَصَبَ نَفْسَهُ لِلنَّاسِ إِمَاماً فَلْيَبْدَأْ بِتَعْلِيمِ نَفْسِهِ قَبْلَ تَعْلِيمِ غَيْرِهِ وَ لْيَكُنْ تَأْدِيبُهُ بِسِيرَتِهِ قَبْلَ تَأْدِيبِهِ بِلِسَانِهِ وَ مُعَلِّمُ نَفْسِهِ وَ مُؤَدِّبُهَا أَحَقُّ بِالْإِجْلَالِ مِنْ مُعَلِّمِ النَّاسِ وَ مُؤَدِّبِهِمْ.

Amir al-Mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Whoever places himself as a leader of the people should commence with educating his own self before educating others; and his teaching should be by his own conduct before teaching by the tongue. The person who teaches and instructs his own self is more entitled to esteem then he who teaches and instructs others

Source: Nahj al-Balagha, compiled by al-Sharif al-Radi. Persian: ترجمه محمد دشتی (Mohammad Dashti). English: Translation by Sayed Ali Reza (letters, sayings and sermons 1–16). Text from github.com/WWGTX/NahjulBalaghah. · Free for non-commercial religious use, with attribution