20ـ إبْدَأْ بِالعَطِيَّةِ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْئَلْكَ...

20ـ إبْدَأْ بِالعَطِيَّةِ مَنْ لَمْ يَسْئَلْكَ، وابْذُلْ مَعْرُوفَكَ لِمَنْ طَلَبَهُ، وإيّاكَ أنْ تَرُدَّ السّائِلَ. Donate your wealth generously towards righteous works and support your friend[s] with it, for indeed generosity is a more befitting trait for the free. 21ـ أُبْذُلْ مالَكَ فِي الْحُقُوقِ، وَواسِ بِهِ الصَّدِيقَ، فَإنَّ السَّخاءَ بِالحُرِّ أخْلَقُ. Do good to the one who is under your authority and the one under whose authority you are will do good to you.

22ـ أحْسِنْ إلى مَنْ تَمْلِكُ رِقَّهُ، يُحْسِنْ إلَيْكَ مَنْ تَمَلَّكَ رِقَّكَ. The best faith is [that which is accompanied by] righteousness. 23ـ أفْضَلُ الإيمانِ اَلإحْسانُ. The best favours are those that correspond with divinely ordained laws. 24ـ أحْسَنُ الصَّنايِـعِ ما وافَقَ الشَّرايِـعَ. The best act is that which benefits the pious ones. 25ـ أفْضَلُ البِرِّ ما أُصِيبَ بِهِ الأبـْرارُ. The best act is that which benefits those who are deserving of it.

26ـ أفْضَلُ البِرِّ ما أُصِيبَ بِهِ أهْلُهُ. The merit of a righteous action is better than the action [itself]. 27ـ أفْضَلُ مِنَ الصَّنِيعَةِ مَزِيَّةُ الصَّنِيعَةِ. The greatest righteous act is establishing ties with near relatives. 28ـ أوْفَرُ البِرِّ صِلَةُ الرَّحِمِ. The most beautiful act of a person in a position of power is conferring of favours [to those under him]. 29ـ أجْمَلُ أفْعالِ ذَوِي القُدْرَةِ الإنْعامُ.

The best treasure is a free man who has been reserved [in your friendship because of your kindness to him]. 30ـ أفْضَلُ الكُنُوزِ حُرٌّ يُدَّخَرُ. The greatest good deed is supporting one’s brothers [financially]. 31ـ أحْسَنُ الإحْسانِ مُواساةُ الإخْوانِ. The best gift is forgoing obligation. 32ـ أفْضَلُ العَطاءِ تَرْكُ المَنِّ. The noblest of favours are the good turns of the munificent [and honourable] ones. 33ـ أشْرَفُ الصَّنايِـعِ اِصْطِناعُ الكِرامِ.

The most worthy of giving [to] is the one who feels the least in need of asking [from others]. 34ـ أوْلَى النّاسِ بِالنَّوالِ أغْناهُمْ عَنِ السُّؤالِ. The best grant is that which is given before it is sought. 35ـ أفْضَلُ النَّوالِ ما وَصَلَ قَبْلَ السُّؤالِ. The most pleasing kindness is offering [something] without being asked [for it]. 36ـ أحْلىَ النَّوالِ بَذْلٌ بِغَيْرِ سُؤال. The best grant is that which is [bestowed] before the humility of having to ask [for it].

37ـ أفْضَلُ العَطِيَّةِ ماكانَ قَبْلَ مَذَلَّةِ السُّؤالِ. The best of all people who have preceded you is the one who has preceded you in his good expectation of you.