11ـ إيّاكَ والكَلامَ فيما لاتَعْرِفُ طريقَتَهُ...

11ـ إيّاكَ والكَلامَ فيما لاتَعْرِفُ طريقَتَهُ، ولاتَعْلَمُ حَقيقَتَهُ، فَإنَّ قَوْلَكَ يَدُلُّ عَلى عَقْلِكَ، وعِبارَتَكَ تُنْبِئُ عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِكَ، فَتَوَقَّ مِنْ طُولِ لِسانِكَ ما أمِنْتَهُ، واخْتَصِرْ مِنْ كَلامِكَ مَا اسْتَحْسَنْتَهُ، فَإنَّهُ بِكَ أجْمَلُ وعَلى فَضْلِكَ أدَلُّ. There is no benefit in speech without action. 12ـ لايَنْفَعُ قَوْلٌ بِغَيْرِ عَمَل. The most veracious speech is that which conforms to the truth. 13ـ أصْدَقُ القَوْلِ ما طابَقَ الحَقَّ.

The best of utterances is that which is affirmed by action. 14ـ أحْسَنُ المَقالِ ما صَدَّقَهُ الفِعالُ. The people who most resemble the Prophets of Allah are those who speak the truth the most and are most patient in acting upon it. 15ـ أشْبَهُ النّاسِ بِأنْبِياءِ اللّهِ أقْوَلُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ، وأصْبَرُهُمْ عَلَى العَمَلِ بِهِ.

The closest of servants to Allah, the Glorified, is one who speaks the truth even if it is against him and one who acts upon the truth even if there is something he dislikes in it. 16ـ أقْرَبُ العِبادِ إلَى اللّهِ تَعالى أقْوَلُهُمْ لِلْحَقِّ وإنْ كانَ عَلَيْهِ، وأعْمَلُهُمْ بِالحَقِّ وإنْ كانَ فيهِ كُرْهُهُ. It is worse than inarticulateness for one to speak more than [what] is necessary. 17ـ أقْبَحُ مِنَ الْعَيِّ الزِّيادَةُ عَلَى المَنْطِقِ عَنْ مَوْضِعِ الحاجَةِ.

The most accurate shot is speech that is prudent. 18ـ أصْوَبُ الرَّمْيِ القَوْلُ المُصيبُ. The best speech is that which is adorned by good arrangement and understood by [both] the elite and the general public. 19ـ أحْسَنُ الكَلامِ ما زانَهُ حُسْنُ النِّظامِ، وفَهِمَهُ الخاصُّ وَالعامُّ. The most conveying eloquent speech is that which is easily passed on [and understood] correctly and which is appropriately concise. 20ـ أبْلَغُ البَلاغَةِ ما سَهُلَ فِي الصَّوابِ مَجازُهُ، وحَسُنَ إيجازُهُ.

The most honourable speech is the truth. 21ـ أشْرَفُ الأقْوالِ الصِّدْقُ. The best speech is that which is not dismissed by the ears and is not difficult for the minds to comprehend. 22ـ أحْسَنُ الكَلامِ ما لاتَمُجُّهُ الآذانُ، ولايُتْعِبُ فَهْمُهُ الأفْهامَ (الأذهانَ). Verily polite speech and the propagation of peace are forms of worship. 23ـ إنَّ مِنَ العِبادَةِ لينَ الكَلامِ، وإفْشاءَ السَّلامِ.

Indeed the preference of speech over action is a shortcoming, and the preference of action over speech is indeed a beauty and an adornment. 24ـ إنَّ فَضْلَ القَوْلِ عَلَى الفِعْلِ لَهُجْنَةٌ، وإنَّ فَضْلَ الفِعْلِ عَلَى القَوْلِ لَجَمالٌ وزينَةٌ. The practice of the wicked is [using] vulgar speech.