The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 16 · Aphorisms 150–157

   ¶ 150⋯
   اِذَاwhen, ifوَقَعَoccurs, comes aboutمِنْكَfrom youذَنْبٌa sinفَلَاthen let notيَكُنْlet it beسَبَبًاa causeلِيَأْسِكَfor your despairمِنْof (despairing of)حُصُولِattaining, coming aboutالِاسْتِقَامَةِuprightness, steadfastnessمَعَwithرَبِّكَyour Lordفَقَدْfor it mayيَكُونُbeذَلِكَthat (sin)آخِرَthe lastذَنْبٍsinقُدِّرَwas decreedعَلَيْكَupon you, for you

   When a sin comes about from you, let it not become a cause for your despairing of attaining uprightness with your Lord; for it may be the last sin decreed for you.

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2. ¶ 151⋯
   اِذَاif, whenأَرَدْتَyou wantأَنْthatيُفْتَحَbe openedلَكَfor youبَابُdoor, gateالرَّجَاءِhopeفَاشْهَدْthen witnessمَاwhatمِنْهُfrom Himاِلَيْكَto youوَاِذَاand ifأَرَدْتَyou wantأَنْthatيُفْتَحَbe openedلَكَfor youبَابُdoor, gateالْخَوْفِfearفَاشْهَدْthen witnessمَاwhatمِنْكَfrom youاِلَيْهِto Him

   If you want the door of hope to be opened for you, witness what comes to you from Him; and if you want the door of fear to be opened for you, witness what goes from you to Him.

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3. ¶ 152⋯
   رُبَّمَاit may be thatأَفَادَكَHe benefited youفِىinلَيْلِnightالْقَبْضِcontractionمَاwhatلَمْdid notتَسْتَفِدْهُyou gainedفِىinاِشْرَاقِshining, radianceنَهَارِdaytimeالْبَسْطِexpansionلَاnotتَدْرُونَyou knowأَيُّهُمْwhich of themأَقْرَبُnearerلَكُمْto youنَفْعًاin benefit

   It may be that in the night of contraction He grants you a benefit you did not gain in the shining daylight of expansion. "You do not know which of them is nearer to you in benefit" (Q 4:11).

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4. ¶ 153⋯
   مَطَالِعُrising-places, points of dawningالانْوَارِthe lightsالْقُلُوبُthe heartsوَالاسْرَارُand the innermost secrets

   The rising-places of the lights are the hearts and the innermost secrets.

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5. ¶ 154⋯
   نُورٌa lightمُسْتَوْدَعٌdeposited, placed in trustفِىinالْقُلُوبِthe heartsمَدَدُهُits replenishment, supplyمِنَfromالنُّورِthe lightالْوَارِدِarriving, coming inمِنْfromخَزَائِنِtreasuries, storehousesالْغُيُوبِthe unseen realms

   A light deposited in the hearts, its replenishment coming from the light that arrives from the treasuries of the unseen realms.

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6. ¶ 155⋯
   نُورٌa lightيَكْشِفُHe unveilsلَكَto youبِهِby means of itعَنْ(uncovering) ofآثَارِهِHis tracesوَنُورٌand a lightيَكْشِفُHe unveilsلَكَto youبِهِby means of itعَنْ(uncovering) ofأَوْصَافِهِHis attributes

   There is a light by which He unveils to you His traces, and a light by which He unveils to you His attributes.

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7. ¶ 156⋯
   رُبَّمَاit may be thatوَقَفَتِcome to a haltالْقُلُوبُthe heartsمَعَwith, atالْاَنْوَارِthe lightsكَمَاjust asحُجِبَتِare veiledالنُّفُوسُthe souls (lower selves)بِكَثَائِفِby the dense thingsالْاَغْيَارِof the others

   It may be that hearts come to a halt with the lights, just as souls are veiled by the dense things of the others [al-aghyār: whatever is other than God].

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8. ¶ 157⋯
   سَتَرَHe veiled, concealedأَنْوَارَlightsالسَّرَائِرِinmost heartsبِكَثَائِفِwith dense coveringsالظَّوَاهِرِoutward forms, exteriorsاِجْلَالًاout of reverenceلَهَاfor themأَنْlestتُبْتَذَلَbe cheapened, debasedبِوُجُودِby the occurrence ofالْاِظْهَارِdisplay, manifestingوَاَنْand lestيُنَادَىbe cried out (hawked)عَلَيْهَاover themبِلِسَانِby the tongueالِاشْتِهَارِrenown, publicity

   He veiled the lights of the inmost hearts with the dense coverings of outward forms, out of reverence for them, lest they be cheapened by being put on display and lest they be cried out for sale by the tongue of renown.

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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.