Keeping promises is the practice of the honourable ones.
Keeping promises is the practice of the honourable ones. 19ـ سُنَّةُ الكِرامِ الوَفاءُ بِالعُهُودِ. You must espouse loyalty, for it is the most protective shield. 20ـ عَلَيْكَ بِالوَفاءِ فَإنَّهُ أوْقى(أوفى) جُنَّة. Loyalty is the ornament of the intellect and the symbol of nobility. 21ـ اَلوَفاءُ حِلْيَةُ العَقْلِ، وعُنْوانُ النُّبْلِ. The most honourable characteristic is loyalty. 22ـ أشْرَفُ الخَلائِقِ الوَفاءُ. Loyalty is honour, friendship is compassion.
23ـ اَلوَفاءُ كَرَمٌ، اَلمَوَدَّةُ رَحِمٌ. Loyalty is a symbol of purity. 24ـ اَلوَفاءُ عُنْوانُ الصَّفاءِ. Loyalty is the fortress of eminence. 25ـ اَلْوَفاءُ حِصْنُ السُّؤْدَدِ. A promise is an ailment and its cure is its fulfilment. 26ـ اَلوَعْدُ مَرَضٌ، والبُرْءُ إنْجازُهُ.
I have never slept with a promise I made to someone that had remained unfulfilled, thereby causing him to toss and turn restlessly in his bed so that he could successfully get what he needs [from me in the morning] but that my restlessness on my bed was much greater as a result of my desperation to meet him and fulfil the debt of his promise and out of fear of a hindrance that could cause its reneging, for indeed reneging on a promise is not from the characteristics of the honourable.
27ـ ما باتَ لِرَجُل عِنْدي مَوْعِدٌ قَطُّ، فَباتَ يَتَمَلْمَلُ عَلى فِراشِهِ، لِيَغْدُوَ بِالظَّفَرِ بِحاجَتِهِ أشَدُّ مِنْ تَمَلْمُلي عَلى فِراشي، حِرْصاً عَلَى الخُرُوجِ إلَيْهِ مِنْ دَيْنِ عِدَتِهِ وخَوْفاً مِنْ عائِق يُوجِبُ الخُلْفَ، فَإنَّ خُلْفَ الوَعْدِ لَيْسَ مِنْ أخْلاقِ الكِرامِ. The basis of a promise is its fulfilment. 28ـ مِلاكُ الوَعْدِ إنْجازُهُ. How good a characteristic loyalty is! 29ـ نِعْمَ الخَليقَةُ الوَفاءُ.
How good a companion of truthfulness loyalty is, and how good an associate of God-wariness piety is! 30ـ نِعْمَ قَرينُ الصِّدْقِ الوَفاءُ، ونِعْمَ رَفيقُ التَّقْوى اَلْوَرَعُ. How good a companion of trustworthiness loyalty is! 31ـ نِعْمَ قَرينُ الأمانَةِ الوَفاءُ. The promise of an honourable person is immediate and swift. 32ـ وَعْدُ الكَريمِ نَقْدٌ وتَعْجيلٌ. The promise of a wicked person is delayed and full of excuses. 33ـ وَعْدُ اللَّئيمِ تَسْويفٌ، وتَعْليلٌ.
Do not promise that which you are incapable of fulfilling. 34ـ لاتَعِدْ بِما تَعْجِزُ عَنِ الوَفاءِ بِهِ. Do not guarantee that which you are incapable of fulfilling. 35ـ لاتَضْمَنْ مالاتَقْدِرُ عَلَى الوَفاءِ بِهِ. Never make a promise that you are not confident you will be able to keep. 36ـ لاتَعِدَنَّ عِدَةً لاتَثِقُ مِنْ نَفْسِكَ بِإنْجازِها.
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