Perform good deeds while [you are in place where] deeds benefit...

Perform good deeds while [you are in place where] deeds benefit, supplication is answered and repentance is raised [and accepted]. 18ـ اِعْمَلُوا، واَلْعَمَلُ يَنْفَعُ، والدُّعاءُ يُسْمَعُ، والتَّوْبَةُ تُرْفَعُ. Eschew every action that you are in no need of and busy yourself with the affair of the Hereafter, which you must [eventually] face. 19ـ أعْرِضُوا عَنْ كُلِّ عَمَل بِكُمْ غِنًى عَنْهُ، واشْغَلُوا أنْفُسَكُمْ مِنْ أمْرِ الآخِرَةِ بِما لابُدَّ لَكُمْ عَنْهُ.

Work for the day for which the provisions have been stored and in which the secrets will be revealed. 20ـ اِعْمَلُوا لِيَوْم تُذْخَرُ لَهُ الذَّخائِرُ، وتُبْلى فيهِ السَّرائِرُ. Work while you are still alive, and while the books are [still] open, repentance is [still] accepted, the one who has strayed is [still] called [back], and the sinner is [still] given hope [of forgiveness]; before action abates, time expires, life ends and the door of repentance is closed.

21ـ اِعْمَلُوا وأنْتُمْ في آوِنَةِ البَقاءِ، والصُّحُفُ مَنْشُورَةٌ، والتَّوْبَةُ مَبْسُوطَةٌ، والمُدْبِرُ يُدْعى، والمُسِيءُ يُرْجى قَبْلَ أنْ يَخْمُدَ العَمَلُ، ويَنْقَطِعَ المَهَلُ، وَتَنْقَضِيَ المُدَّةُ، ويُسَدَّ بابُ التَّوْبَةِ. Be wary of every action which, when its doer is asked about it, he feels ashamed and denies it. 22ـ اِحْذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَل إذا سُئِلَ عَنْهُ صاحِبُهُ، اِسْتَحْيى مِنْهُ وأنْكَرَهُ. Be wary of every action that is done in private and causes embarrassment in public.

23ـ اِحْذَرْ مِنْ كُلِّ عَمَل يُعْمَلُ فِي السِّـرِّ، ويُسْتَحْيى مِنْهُ فِي العَلانِيَةِ. Be wary of every action that the doer is pleased to perform himself but hates Muslims at large to perform. 24ـ اِحْذَرْ كُلَّ عَمَل يَرْضاهُ عامِلُهُ لِنَفْسِهِ، ويَكْرَهُهُ لِعامَّةِ المُسْلِمينَ. Be wary of bad deeds, deceptive aspirations, loss of hope and the sudden coming of death. 25ـ اِحْذَرُوا سُوءَ الأعْمالِ، وغُرُورَ الآمال، ونَفادَ الأمَلِ، وهُجُومَ الأجَلِ.

You must keep away from evil action, for indeed it dishonours your reputation and increases your burden. 26ـ إيّاكَ وفِعْلَ القَبِيحِ، فَإنَّهُ يُقَبِّحُ ذِكْرَكَ، ويُكَثِّرُ وِزْرَكَ. Keep away from every act that repels the freeman from you, or lowers your status, or brings harm upon you, or because of which you have to bear a burden on the Day of Judgment.

27ـ إيّاكَ وكُلَّ عَمَل يُنَفِّرُ عَنْكَ حُرّاً، أوْ يُذِلُّ لَكَ قَدْراً أوْ يَجْلِبُ عَلَيْكَ شَـرّاً، أوْ تَحْمِلُ بِهِ إلَى القِيامَةِ وِزْراً. Is no one ready to work for his soul before the day of his misery [and adversity]?!