20ـ بِالعَفْوِ تُسْتَنْزَلُ الرَّحْمَةُ.

20ـ بِالعَفْوِ تُسْتَنْزَلُ الرَّحْمَةُ. Overlook despite having power [to punish] and do good while possessing authority, [for by this] your mastery will become complete. 21ـ تَجاوَزْ مَعَ القُدْرَةِ وأحْسِنْ مَعَ الدَّوْلَةِ تَـكْمُلْ لَكَ السِّيادَةُ. Overlook missteps and pardon mistakes, [for by this] your station will be elevated. 22ـ تَجاوَزْ عَنِ الزَّلَلِ، وأقِلِ العَثَراتِ، تُرْفَعْ لَكَ الدَّرَجاتُ.

Cover up offences with forgiveness, especially for those who possess magnanimity and social standing. 23ـ تَغَمَّدِ الذُّنُوبَ بِالغُفْرانِ، سِيَّما في ذَوِى المُرُوءَةِ والهَيْئاتِ. Feign heedlessness [about the mistakes of others] and your affair will be praised. 24ـ تَغافَلْ يُحْمَدْ أمْرُكَ. Reward goodness and overlook offence, as long as it is not a breach in religion or an undermining of the authority of Islam.

25ـ جازِ بِالحَسَنَةِ، وتَجاوَزْ عَنِ السَّيِّئَةِ، ما لَمْ يَكُنْ ثَلَماً فِي الدّينِ، أوْ وَهْناً في سُلْطانِ الإسْلامِ. Adopt [the policy of] excusing the people and do not extend your hand to that which is disagreeable to anyone of them.[^1] 26ـ خُذِ العَفْوَ مِنَ النّاسِ، ولاتَبْلُغ مِنْ أحَد مَكْرُوهَهُ. Do away with revenge, for indeed it is from the worst actions of the powerful, and he who raises himself above the evil of reprisals has taken hold of the accumulation of merits.

27ـ دَعِ الاِنْتِقامَ فَإنَّهُ مِنْ أسْوَءِ أفْعالِ المَقْتَدِرِ، ولَقَدْ أخَذَ بِجَوامِعِ الفَضْلِ مَنْ رَفَعَ نَفْسَهُ عَنْ سُوءِ المُجازاةِ. It is when one possesses complete authority that the virtue of forgiveness becomes manifest. 28ـ عِنْدَ كَمالِ القُدْرَةِ تَظْهَرُ فَضيلَةُ العَفْوِ. Lack of forgiveness is the ugliest of flaws and rushing to exact revenge is the gravest of sins. 29ـ قِلَّةُ العَفْوِ أقْبَحُ العُيُوبِ، والتَّسَرُّعُ إلَى الاِنْتِقامِ أعْظَمُ الذُّنُوبِ.

Accepting the excuse of a wrongdoer is from the acts that bring honour and the [is] the most excellent of traits. 30ـ قَبُولُ عُذْرِ المُجْرِمِ مِنْ مَواجِبِ الكَرَمِ ومَحاسِنِ الشِّيَمِ. Victory is a sufficient intercessor for the sinner. 31ـ كَفى بِالظَّفَرِ شافِعاً لِلْمُذْنِبِ. Be graciously forgiving when you become powerful and act justly when you are in authority. 32ـ كُنْ جَميلَ العَفْوِ إذا قَدَرْتَ عامِلاً بِالعَدْلِ إذا مَلَكْتَ.