15ـ وَجْهُكَ ماءٌ جامِدٌ يُقَطِّرُهُ السُّؤالُ...

15ـ وَجْهُكَ ماءٌ جامِدٌ يُقَطِّرُهُ السُّؤالُ، فَانْظُرْ عِنْدَ مَنْ تُقَطِّرُهُ. Do not ask the one from whom you fear deprival. 16ـ لا تَسْألْ مَنْ تَخافُ مَنْعَهُ. Never turn away the beggar, even if he exceeds the limits. 17ـ لاتَرُدَّنَّ السَّائِلَ وَإنْ أسْرَفَ. Do not turn away the beggar and safeguard your magnanimity by not depriving him. 18ـ لا تَرُدَّ السَّائِلَ وصُنْ مُرُوَّتَكَ عَنْ حِرْمانِهِ. There is no humiliation like asking [for something from others].

19ـ لا ذُلَّ كَالطَّلَبِ. There is nothing more tormenting than having to ask from the ignorant out of desperation. 20ـ لا شَيْءَ أوْجَعُ مِنَ الاِضْطِرارِ إلى مَسْئَلَةِ الأغْمارِ. Verily you are in greater need of the reward for that which you give than the asker is [in need] of that which he takes from you. 21ـ إنَّكُمْ إلى إجْراءِ (جَزاءِ) ما أعْطَيْتُمْ أشَدُّ حاجَةً مِنَ السَّائِلِ إلى ما أخَذَ مِنْكُمْ.

Verily you will gain more joy by [the reward of] what you have given than the one who seeks from you gains in what he has received from you. 22ـ إنَّكُمْ أغْبَطُ بِما بَذَلْتُمْ مِنَ الرَّاغِبِ إلَيْكُمْ فيما وَصَلَهُ مِنْكُمْ. Give the beggar before he asks, for indeed if you make it necessary for him to ask, then you will have taken from his dignity that which is greater than what you have given him.

23ـ اِبْدأِ السّائِلَ بِالنَّوالِ قَبْلَ السُّؤالِ، فَإنَّكَ إنْ أحْوَجْتَهُ إلى سُؤالِكَ أخَذْتَ مِنْ حُرِّ وَجْهِهِ أفْضَلَ مِمّا أعْطَيْتَهُ. Give your wealth generously to the one who has sacrificed his self-respect for you, for indeed the sacrificing of self-respect cannot be matched by anything. 24ـ أُبْذُلْ مالَكَ لِمَنْ بَذَلَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ، فَإنَّ بَذْلَ الوَجْهِ لايُوازِيهِ شَيْءٌ. Give generously when you are asked. 25ـ اِسْمَحُوا إذا سُئِلْتُمْ.

Seeking one’s need from he who is not worthy [of being asked] is harder than death. 26ـ أشَدُّ مِنَ المَوْتِ طَلَبُ الحاجَةِ مِنْ غَيْرِ أهْلِها. What an evil trait importunity is! 27ـ بِئْسَ الشّيمَةُ الإلحاحُ. Sacrificing one’s dignity by begging is greater [in value] than the extent of one’s need, even if it is great and even if it is granted. 28ـ بَذْلُ ماءِ الوَجْهِ فِي الطَّلَبِ أعْظَمُ مِنْ قَدْرِ الحاجَةِ وإنْ عَظُمَتْ وَأُنْجِحَ فيهَا الطَّلَبُ.

Sacrificing one’s dignity in front of the wicked is the greatest death. 29 ـ بَذْلُ الوَجْهِ إلَى اللِّئامِ اَلمَوْتُ الأكْبَـرُ. Previous…