The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 11 · Aphorisms 106–112

   ¶ 106⋯
   لِيُخَفِّفْlet it lightenأَلَمَpainالْبَلَاءِaffliction, trialعَلَيْكَfor you, upon youعِلْمُكَyour knowledgeبِانَّهُthat Heسُبْحَانَهُglory be to HimهُوَHe (emphatic)الْمُبْلِىthe One who triesلَكَyou (object of trial)فَالَّذِىfor the One whoوَاجَهَتْكَcame to meet youمِنْهُfrom Himالْأَقْدَارُthe decreesهُوَis (the very One)الَّذِىthe One whoعَوَّدَكَaccustomed you toحُسْنَgoodness, fairnessالِاخْتِيَارِ(His) choosing

   Let your knowledge that He (glory be to Him) is the One who tries you lighten for you the pain of affliction. For the One from whom the decrees come to meet you is the very One who has accustomed you to His fair choosing.

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2. ¶ 107⋯
   مَنْwhoeverظَنَّsupposes, thinksانْفِكَاكَbeing separated, detachmentلُطْفِهِHis gentle kindnessعَنْfromقَدَرِهِHis decreeفَذَلِكَthat (is)لِقُصُورِdue to shortnessنَظَرِهِhis sight, vision

   Whoever supposes that His gentle kindness can be separated from His decree, that is only because of the shortness of his own sight.

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3. ¶ 108⋯
   لَاnotيُخَافُit is fearedعَلَيْكَfor youأَنْthatتَلْتَبِسَbecome confused, obscuredالطُّرُقُthe paths, waysعَلَيْكَto youوَانَّمَاbut onlyيُخَافُit is fearedعَلَيْكَfor youمِنْfrom, ofغَلَبَةِdomination, prevailingالْهَوَىcaprice, passionعَلَيْكَover you

   It is not feared on your account that the paths will become confused for you; what is feared for you is only that caprice will gain the upper hand over you.

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4. ¶ 109⋯
   سُبْحَانَglory be toمَنْHim whoسَتَرَveiled, concealedسِرَّsecret, inner realityالْخُصُوصِيَّةِspecial election, chosennessبِظُهُورِby the appearanceالْبَشَرِيَّةِhuman natureوَظَهَرَand became manifestبِعَظَمَةِwith the majestyالرُّبُوبِيَّةِLordshipفِىin, throughاِظْهَارِdisplaying, manifestingالْعُبُودِيَّةِservanthood

   Glory be to Him who has veiled the secret of special election behind the outward appearance of human nature, and who has shown Himself in the majesty of Lordship through the display of servanthood.

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5. ¶ 110⋯
   لَاdo not (prohibition)تُطَالِبْhold to account, pressرَبَّكَyour Lordبِتَأَخُّرِfor the delay ofمَطْلَبِكَyour request, what you seekوَلَكِنْbut ratherطَالِبْhold to account, demand ofنَفْسَكَyour self, your egoبِتَأَخُّرِfor the delay ofأَدَبِكَyour courtesy, right conduct

   Do not hold your Lord to account for the delay of what you have asked for; rather, hold yourself to account for the delay of your courtesy toward Him.

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6. ¶ 111⋯
   مَتَىwheneverجَعَلَكَHe makes youفِىinالظَّاهِرِthe outward (being)مُمْتَثِلًاcarrying out, complyingلِأَمْرِهِHis commandوَرَزَقَكَand He grants youفِىinالْبَاطِنِthe inward (being)الِاسْتِسْلَامَsurrender, yieldingلِقَهْرِهِto His overpoweringفَقَدْthen indeedأَعْظَمَHe has made greatالْمِنَّةَthe gracious giftعَلَيْكَupon you, to you

   Whenever He makes you, in your outward being, one who carries out His command, and grants you, in your inward being, surrender to His overpowering, then He has made His gracious gift to you great indeed.

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7. ¶ 112⋯
   لَيْسَnot (negation)كُلُّevery, everyoneمَنْwho, whoeverثَبَتَis established, confirmedتَخْصِيصُهُhis being singled outكَمُلَis made completeتَخْلِيصُهُhis purification, refining

   Not everyone whose election [by God] is established has had his purification brought to completion.

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Translations, word glosses and term notes are AI-generated (Claude) and marked as such; no published translation is reproduced.Word analysis is automatic (CAMeL Tools), guided by the text's vowelling. How this text was established.