The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 17 · Aphorisms 158–167

   ¶ 158⋯
   سُبْحَانَglory be toمَنْHim whoلَمْdid not (negation)يَجْعَلِmake, appointالدَّلِيلَthe evidence, pointerعَلَىpointing toأَوْلِيَائِهِHis saints, friendsاِلَّاexceptمِنْfrom, by way ofحَيْثُwhere, the aspectالدَّلِيلُthe evidenceعَلَيْهِpointing to Himوَلَمْand did notيُوصِلْbring, conveyاِلَيْهِمْto themاِلَّاexceptمَنْwhomأَرَادَHe willedأَنْthatيُوصِلَهُbring himاِلَيْهِto Himself

   Glory be to Him who has made the evidence pointing to His saints to be none other than the evidence pointing to Himself, and who brings to them only those whom He wills to bring to Himself.

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2. ¶ 159⋯
   رُبَّمَاit may be thatأَطْلَعَكَHe grants you sightعَلَىupon, ofغَيْبِthe unseen ofمَلَكُوتِهِHis Kingdom (malakūt)وَحَجَبَand He veiledعَنْكَfrom youالِاسْتِشْرَافَlooking out, peeringعَلَىuponأَسْرَارِthe secrets ofالْعِبَادِthe servants (of God)

   It may be that He grants you sight of the unseen of His Kingdom, yet veils from you any looking out upon the secrets of His servants.

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3. ¶ 160⋯
   مَنِwhoeverاطَّلَعَis granted insightعَلَىintoاَسْرَارِsecretsالْعِبَادِof the servantsوَلَمْand has notيَتَخَلَّقْtaken on the characterبِالرَّحْمَةِof mercyالْاِلٰهِيَّةِdivineكَانَbecomesاطِّلَاعُهُhis insightفِتْنَةًa trial, temptationعَلَيْهِfor himوَسَبَبًاand a meansلِجَرِّfor drawingالْوَبَالِruin, evil consequenceاِلَيْهِupon himself

   Whoever is given insight into the secrets of [God's] servants without having taken on the character of divine mercy, his insight becomes a trial for him and a means of drawing ruin upon himself.

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4. ¶ 161⋯
   حَظُّshare, portionالنَّفْسِthe ego, the selfفِىinالْمَعْصِيَةِdisobedience, sinظَاهِرٌoutward, apparentجَلِىٌّplain, evidentوَحَظُّهَاand its shareفِىinالطَّاعَاتِacts of obedienceبَاطِنٌinward, concealedخَفِىٌّhidden, subtleوَمُدَٰوَاةُand the treatingمَاwhatيَخْفَىis hiddenصَعْبٌhard, difficultعِلَاجُهُits cure, remedy

   The ego's share in disobedience is outward and plain, while its share in acts of obedience is inward and hidden; and the treating of what is hidden is hard to cure.

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5. ¶ 162⋯
   رُبَّمَاit may be that; perhapsدَخَلَentered, crept inالرِّيَاءُostentation, showing offعَلَيْكَupon youمِنْfromحَيْثُwhere, whenceلَاnotيَنْظُرُlooks, seesالْخَلْقُcreatures, peopleإِلَيْكَat you

   Ostentation may well creep in upon you from a place where no created being is looking at you.

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6. ¶ 163⋯
   اِسْتِشْرَافُكَyour craning, eager lookingأَنْthatيَعْلَمَshould knowالْخَلْقُcreatures, peopleبِخُصُوصِيَّتِكَof your special electionدَلِيلٌa sign, proofعَلَىofعَدَمِabsence, lackصِدْقِكَyour sincerity, truthfulnessفِىinعُبُودِيَّتِكَyour servanthood

   Your craning to have creatures know of your special election is a sign that you are not sincere in your servanthood.

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7. ¶ 164⋯
   غَيِّبْmake vanish, eclipseنَظَرَregard, gazeالْخَلْقِcreatures, peopleاِلَيْكَupon youبِنَظَرِby the regardاللَّهِof Godاِلَيْكَupon youوَغِبْand be absentعَنْfromاِقْبَالِهِمْtheir turning towardعَلَيْكَtoward youبِشُهُودِby witnessingاِقْبَالِهِHis turning towardعَلَيْكَtoward you

   Let God's regard upon you eclipse the regard of creatures upon you, and be absent from their turning toward you by witnessing His turning toward you.

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8. ¶ 165⋯
   مَنْwhoeverعَرَفَknows (gnostically)الْحَقَّthe Real (God)شَهِدَهُwitnesses Himفِىinكُلِّeveryشَئٍthingوَمَنْand whoeverفَنِىَpasses away, is extinguishedبِهِin Himغَابَis absentعَنْfromكُلِّeveryشَئٍthingوَمَنْand whoeverأَحَبَّهُloves Himلَمْdoes notيُؤْثِرْpreferعَلَيْهِover Himشَيْأًanything

   Whoever knows the Real witnesses Him in every thing; whoever passes away in Him is absent from every thing; and whoever loves Him prefers nothing over Him.

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9. ¶ 166⋯
   اِنَّمَاonly, nothing butحَجَبَveiled, screenedالْحَقَّthe Real (God)عَنْكَfrom youشِدَّةُintensity, extremityقُرْبِهِHis nearnessمِنْكَto you

   What veils the Real from you is nothing but the intensity of His nearness to you.

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10. ¶ 167⋯
    اِنَّمَاonly, solelyاحْتَجَبَHe veiled Himselfلِشِدَّةِbecause of the intensityظُهُورِهِHis manifestnessوَخَفِىَand He is hiddenعَنِfromالأَبْصَارِthe eyes, sightsلِعِظَمِbecause of the immensityنُورِهِHis light

    He has veiled Himself only because of the intensity of His manifestness, and He is hidden from the eyes only because of the immensity of His light.

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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.