Nahj al-Balāgha

ومعناهما واحد.

The meaning of both the sayings (40 and 41) is the same.

٤٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) فِي ذِكْرِ خَبَّابِ بْنِ الْأَرَتِّ: يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ خَبَّابَ بْنَ الْأَرَتِّ فَلَقَدْ أَسْلَمَ رَاغِباً وَهَاجَرَ طَائِعاً وَقَنِعَ بِالْكَفَافِ وَرَضِيَ عَنِ اللَّهِ وَعَاشَ مُجَاهِداً.

43. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said about Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt [1]: May Allāh have mercy on Khabbāb ibn al-Aratt since he accepted Islam willingly, immigrated (from Mecca) obediently, remained content with what sufficed him, was pleased with Allāh and lived the life of a mujāhid (holy soldier).

٤٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَوْ ضَرَبْتُ خَيْشُومَ الْمُؤْمِنِ بِسَيْفِي هَذَا عَلَى أَنْ يُبْغِضَنِي مَا أَبْغَضَنِي وَلَوْ صَبَبْتُ الدُّنْيَا بِجَمَّاتِهَا عَلَى الْمُنَافِقِ عَلَى أَنْ يُحِبَّنِي مَا أَحَبَّنِي. وَذَلِكَ أَنَّهُ قُضِيَ فَانْقَضَى عَلَى لِسَانِ النَّبِيِّ الْأُمِّيِّ (صلى ‏الله ‏عليه ‏وآله ‏وسلم) أَنَّهُ قَالَ: يَا عَلِيُّ لَا يُبْغِضُكَ مُؤْمِنٌ وَلَا يُحِبُّكَ مُنَافِقٌ.

45. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Even if I strike the nose of a believer with this, my sword, for hating me he will not hate me, and even if I pile all the wealth of the world before a hypocrite (Muslim) for loving me he will not love me. This is because it is a verdict pronounced by the tongue of the revered Prophet, may Allāh bless him and his descendants, as he said: “O ‘Alī, a believer will never hate you and a hypocrite will never love you.” [1]

٤٦. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): سَيِّئَةٌ تَسُوءُكَ خَيْرٌ عِنْدَ اللَّهِ مِنْ حَسَنَةٍ تُعْجِبُكَ.

46. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The sin that displeases you is better in the view of Allāh than the virtue which makes you proud. [1]

٤٨. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الظَّفَرُ بالْحَزْمِ، وَالْحَزْمُ بِإِجَالَةِ الرَّأْيِ، وَالرَّأْيُ بِتَحْصِينِ الْأَسْرَارِ.

48. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Victory is by determination; determination is by the turning over of thoughts; and thoughts are formed by guarding secrets.

٥٠. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): قُلُوبُ الرِّجَالِ وَحْشِيَّةٌ، فَمَنْ تَأَلَّفَهَا أَقْبَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ.

50. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: The hearts of the people are like wild beasts. Whoever tames them, they would pounce upon him. [1]

٥١. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): عَيْبُكَ مَسْتُورٌ مَا أَسْعَدَكَ جَدُّكَ.

51. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: So long as your position is good, your defects will remain covered.

٥٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): السَّخَاءُ مَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءً، فَأَمَّا مَا كَانَ عَنْ مَسْأَلَةِ فَحَيَاءٌ وَتَذَمُّمٌ.

53. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Generosity is that which is by one’s own initiative, because giving on being asked is either out of self-respect or to avoid rebuke.

٥٤. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): لَا غِنَى كَالْعَقْلِ، وَلَا فَقْرَ كَالْجَهْلِ، وَلَا مِيرَاثَ كَالْأَدَبِ، وَلَا ظَهِيرَ كَالْمُشَاوَرَةِ.

54. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: There is no wealth like wisdom, no destitution like ignorance, no inheritance like refinement and no support like consultation.

٥٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): الصَّبْرُ صَبْرَانِ: صَبْرٌ عَلَى مَا تَكْرَهُ، وَصَبْرٌ عَمَّا تُحِبُّ.

55. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Patience is of two kinds, patience over what pains you, and patience against what you covet.