The vile one is such that when he has the power...
The vile one is such that when he has the power, he commits atrocities and when he makes a promise, he breaks it. 16ـ اَللَّئِيمُ إذا قَدَرَ أفْحَشَ، وإذا وَعَدَ أخْلَفَ. The vile one is such that when he gives, he does begrudgingly and when he is given something, he is ungrateful. 17ـ اَللَّئِيمُ إذا أعْطى حَقَدَ، وإذا أُعْطِيَ جَحَدَ. When you come upon vile [and miserly] people then give the excuse of fasting [so that you may leave them without partaking of a meal].
18ـ إذا حَلَلْتَ بِاللِّئامِ، فَاعْتَلِلْ بِالصِّيامِ. When the vile one attains a position above his status, his condition changes [for the worse]. 19ـ إذا بَلَغَ اللَّئيمُ فَـوْقَ مِقْدارِهِ تَنَـكَّرَتْ أحْوالُهُ. When the vile one increases his reverence for you then increase your scorn for him. 20ـ إذا زادَكَ اللَّئيمُ إجْلالاً فَزِدْهُ إذْلالاً. The authority of a vile person manifests his evil traits and flaws. 21ـ دَوْلَةُ اللَّئيمِ تَكْشِفُ مَساوِيَهُ ومَعايِبَهُ.
The dominion of the vile is the humiliation of the honourable. 22ـ دَوْلَةُ اللِّئامِ مَذَلَّةُ الكِرامِ. The ascendency the vile ones is from the calamities of the times. 23ـ دُوَلُ اللِّئامِ مِنْ نَوائِبِ الأيّامِ. The one who seeks good from vile people is deprived of it. 24ـ طالِبُ الخَيْرِ مِنَ اللِّئامِ مَحْرُومٌ. The triumph of a vile person leads to destruction. 25ـ ظَفَرُ اللَّئيمِ يُرْدي. The triumph of vile people leads to haughtiness and defiance.
26ـ ظَفَرُ اللِّئامِ تَجَبُّرٌ، وطُغْيانٌ. The shadow [and patronage] of the vile ones is [an] endemic adversity. 27ـ ظِلُّ اللِّئامِ نَـكِدٌ وَبِيٌّ. The habit of vile people is to repay good with evil. 28ـ عادَةُ اللِّئامِ اَلمُكافاةُ بِالقَبيحِ عَنِ الإحْسانِ. The habit of vile people is denial [the blessings they have been given]. 29ـ عادَةُ اللِّئامِ الجُحُودُ. The habit of vile people is ugly slander [and backbiting]. 30ـ عادَةُ اللِّئامِ قُبْحُ الوَقيعَةِ.
Harming honourable and liberated people is the habit of the vile and ignorant ones. 31ـ عادَةُ اللِّئامِ والأغْمارِ أذِيَّةُ الكِرامِ والأحْرارِ. The honour of a vile person is humiliation and the deviation of the intellect is the worst deviation. 32ـ عِزُّ اللَّئيمِ مَذَلَّةٌ، وضَلالُ العَقْلِ أشَدُّ ضِلَّة. Flee as far as you can from the foolish, vile one. 33ـ فِرُّوا كُلَّ الفِرارِ مِنَ اللَّئيمِ الأحْمَقِ. The poverty of the honourable one is better than the wealth of the vile one.
34ـ فاقَةُ الكَريمِ أحْسَنُ مِنْ غَناءِ اللَّئيمِ. Absence of vile people is a [source of] comfort for the people.
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