The Aphorisms (al-Ḥikam)

1. Chapter 21 · Aphorisms 193–204

   ¶ 193⋯
   اِذَاwhenالْتَبَسَbecome confused, unclearعَلَيْكَfor youأَمْرَانِtwo mattersفَانْظُرْthen look, considerأَثْقَلَهُمَاthe heavier of the twoعَلَىuponالنَّفْسِthe ego, lower selfفَاتَّبِعْهُthen follow itفَاِنَّهُfor indeed itلَاnotيَثْقُلُweighs heavilyعَلَيْهَاupon it (the ego)اِلَّاexceptمَاthat whichكَانَisحَقًّاtrue, rightful

   When two matters are confused for you, look to whichever of the two weighs more heavily upon the ego, and follow it; for nothing weighs heavily upon the ego except what is true.

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2. ¶ 194⋯
   مِنْamong, ofعَلَامَاتِsigns, marksاتِّبَاعِfollowingالْهَوَىcaprice, passionالْمُسَارَعَةُhastening, rushingاِلَىtowardنَوَافِلِsupererogatory actsالْخَيْرَاتِgood worksوَالتَّكَاسُلُand sluggishnessعَنِin, regardingالْقِيَامِcarrying out, performingبِالْوَاجِبَاتِthe obligatory duties

   Among the signs of following one's caprice is hastening toward supererogatory good works while being sluggish in carrying out the obligatory duties.

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3. ¶ 195⋯
   قَيَّدَHe bound, restrictedالطَّاعَاتِacts of obedienceبِاَعْيَانِto specific (times)الْاَوْقَاتِtimesكَىْso thatلَاnotيَمْنَعَكَkeep you backعَنْهَاfrom themوُجُودُpresence, occurrenceالتَّسْوِيفِprocrastination, deferringوَوَسَّعَand He made ampleعَلَيْكَfor youالْوَقْتَthe time (span)كَىْso thatتَبْقَىmight remainلَكَto youحِصَّةُshare, portionالِاخْتِيَارِchoosing, own choice

   He bound acts of obedience to specific times, so that the presence of procrastination might not keep you from them; and He made the time ample for you, so that a share of choosing might remain to you.

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4. ¶ 196⋯
   عَلِمَHe knewقِلَّةَthe fewness, how seldomنُهُوضِrising up, setting outالْعِبَادِthe servants (of God)اِلَىto, towardمُعَامَلَتِهِdealing with Himفَاَوْجَبَso He made obligatoryعَلَيْهِمْupon themوُجُودَthe existence, performanceطَاعَتِهِobedience to Himفَسَاقَهُمْso He drove themاِلَيْهَاtoward it (obedience)بِسَلَاسِلِwith chainsالْاِيجَابِof obligationعَجِبَmarvelsرَبُّكَyour Lordمِنْatقَوْمٍa peopleيُسَاقُونَare driven (passive of sāqa, root s-w-q)اِلَىtoالْجَنَّةِParadise, the Gardenبِالسَّلَاسِلِin chains

   He knew how seldom His servants would rise up to deal with Him, so He made the performance of obedience to Him obligatory upon them, and thus drove them toward it with the chains of obligation. "Your Lord marvels at a people who are driven to Paradise in chains."

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5. ¶ 197⋯
   أَوْجَبَHe made incumbentعَلَيْكَupon youوُجُودَcarrying out, performanceخِدْمَتِهِHis serviceوَمَاand not (negation)أَوْجَبَHe made incumbentعَلَيْكَupon youاِلَّادُخُولَexcept entering (illā + dukhūl)جَنَّتِهِHis Garden (Paradise)

   He has made the performance of His service incumbent upon you, and in truth He has made nothing incumbent upon you except entry into His Garden.

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6. ¶ 198⋯
   مَنِwhoeverاسْتَغْرَبَfinds it strangeأَنْthatيُنْقِذَهُshould rescue himاللَّهُGodمِنْfromشَهْوَتِهِhis desireوَأَنْand thatيُخْرِجَهُshould bring him outمِنْfrom, out ofوُجُودِexistence, very beingغَفْلَتِهِhis heedlessnessفَقَدِthen indeedاسْتَعْجَزَhas deemed incapableالْقُدْرَةَthe powerالْاِلَهِيَّةَdivineوَكَانَand is (ever)اللَّهُGodعَلَىoverكُلِّall, everyشَئٍthingمُقْتَدِرًاall-powerful, able

   Whoever finds it strange that God should rescue him from his desire and bring him out of the existence of his heedlessness has deemed the divine power incapable, and God has power over all things (Q 18:45).

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7. ¶ 199⋯
   رُبَّمَاmay sometimes, perhapsوَرَدَتِcome upon, arriveالظُّلَمُdarknesses (pl. of ẓulma)عَلَيْكَupon youلِيُعَرِّفَكَso He may make knownقَدْرَworth, true measureمَاwhat, that whichمَنَّgraciously bestowedبِهِwith it (the gift)عَلَيْكَupon you

   Darknesses may sometimes come upon you, so that He may make you know the worth of what He has graciously bestowed upon you.

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8. ¶ 200⋯
   مَنْwhoeverلَمْdoes not (past negation)يَعْرِفْrecognize, knowقَدْرَworth, valueالنِّعَمِthe blessings, gracesبِوِجْدَانِهَاby having them, possessing themعَرَفَهَاcomes to know themبِوُجُودِthrough the occurrence ofفِقْدَانِهَاtheir loss, being deprived

   Whoever does not recognize the worth of blessings while possessing them will come to recognize it through the reality of their loss.

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9. ¶ 201⋯
   لَاdo not (prohibitive)تُدْهِشْكَlet it astonish youوَارِدَاتُinrushes, arrivalsالنِّعَمِof blessingsعَنِaway from (diverting)الْقِيَامِfulfilling, undertakingبِحُقُوقِthe dues ofشُكْرِكَyour gratitudeفَاِنَّfor indeedذَلِكَthat (bewilderment)مِمَّاamong whatيَحُطُّlowers, diminishesمِنْfrom, ofوُجُودِthe reality, existenceقَدْرِكَyour worth, standing

   Do not let the inrushes of blessings so astonish you that you neglect to fulfil what your gratitude owes; for that is among the things that lower the standing that is yours.

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10. ¶ 202⋯
    تَمَكُّنُtaking firm holdحَلَاوَةِsweetnessالْهَوَى(egoic) desire, passionمِنَof, uponالْقَلْبِthe heartهُوَit isالدَّاءُthe diseaseالْعُضَالُincurable, intractable

    The sweetness of desire taking firm hold of the heart is the incurable disease.

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11. ¶ 203⋯
    لَاnot, nothingيُخْرِجُdrives out, expelsالشَّهْوَةَdesire, appetiteمِنَfrom, out ofالْقَلْبِthe heartالَّاexcept, saveخَوْفٌa fearمُزْعِجٌunsettling, that dislodgesأَوْorشَوْقٌa longing, yearningمُقْلِقٌdisquieting, giving no rest

    Nothing drives desire out of the heart except a fear that unsettles or a longing that gives no rest.

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12. ¶ 204⋯
    كَمَاjust asلَاnotيُحِبُّHe lovesالْعَمَلَthe workالْمُشْتَرَكَshared, associatedكَذَلِكَso, likewiseلَاnotيُحِبُّHe lovesالْقَلْبَthe heartالْمُشْتَرَكَshared, dividedالْعَمَلُthe workالْمُشْتَرَكُshared, associatedلَاnotيَقْبَلُهُHe accepts itوَالْقَلْبُand the heartالْمُشْتَرَكُshared, dividedلَاnotيُقْبِلُHe turns towardعَلَيْهِto it

    Just as He does not love the work that is shared [with another], so He does not love the heart that is shared [with another]. The shared work He does not accept, and the shared heart He does not turn toward.

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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.