The value of good etiquette is nobler than the value of lineage.
The value of good etiquette is nobler than the value of lineage. 24ـ حَسَبُ الأدبِ أشرَفُ مِنْ حَسَبِ النَّسَبِ. The best thing that parents can bequeath to their children is good etiquette. 25ـ خَيْرُ ما وَرَّثَ الآباءُ الأبناءَ الأدبُ. The means of purifying [one’s] character is good etiquette. 26ـ سَبَبُ تَزْكِيَةِ الأخلاقِ حُسْنُ الأدَبِ. The seeker of good etiquette is wiser than the seeker of gold. 27ـ طالبُ الأدَبِ أحزَمُ مِنْ طالِبِ الذَّهبِ.
Seeking [good] etiquette is the embellishment of [one’s] honourable lineage. 28ـ طَلَبُ الأدَبِ جَمالُ الحَسَبِ. Adopt good etiquette for it is the embellishment of honourable lineage. 29ـ علَيكَ بِالأدبِ فإنَّهُ زَيْنُ الحَسَبِ. A little good etiquette is better than many noble ancestors. 30ـ قليلُ الأدَبِ خيْرٌ مِن كَثيرِ النَّسَبِ. Everything requires intellect and intellect requires etiquette. 31ـ كُلُّ شَيْء يَحْتاجُ إلىَ العَقْلِ، والعَقلُ يَحتاجُ إلىَ الأدبِ.
Every distinction is limited except intelligence and good etiquette. 32ـ كُلُّ الحَسَبِمُتَناه إلاّ العَقْلَ والأدَبَ. In order to discipline yourself, it is enough that you keep away from [doing] that which you hate from others. 33ـ كَفاكَ مُؤدِّباً لِنَفْسِكَ تَجَنُّبُ ما كَرِهْتَهُ مِنْ غَيْرِكَ. Good etiquette will not be effective until it is accompanied with intellect. 34ـ لَنْ يَنْجََعَ الأدَبُ حَتّى يُقارِنَهُ العَقْلُ. One whose etiquette decreases, his vices increase.
35ـ مَنْ قَلَّ أدَبُهُ كَثُرَتْ مَساوِيهِ. One who is abased because of his poor etiquette will not be elevated by his noble lineage. 36ـ مَنْ وَضَعَهُ دَناءَةُ أدَبِهِ لَمْ يَرْفَعْهُ شَرَفُ حَسَبِهِ. One whose etiquette is bad, his honourable lineage gets tarnished. 37ـ مَنْ ساءَ أدَبُهُ شانَ حَسَبَهُ. One who is lowered by his lineage is elevated by his good etiquette. 38ـ مَنْ قَعَدَ بِه حَسَبُهُ نَهَضَ بِهِ أدَبُهُ.
One who is held back by his lack of etiquette will not be pushed forward by the weight of his honourable lineage. 39ـ مَنْ أخَّرَهُ عَدَمُ أدَبِهِ لَمْ يُقَدِّمْهُ كَثافَةُ حَسَبِهِ. Whoever is keen about [acquiring] good etiquette, his vices will decrease. 40ـ مَنْ كَلَفَ بِالأدَبِ قَلَّتْ مَساوِيهِ. One who is infatuated with [good] etiquette has adorned himself. 41ـ مَنِاسْتُهْتِرَ بالأدَبِ فَقَدْزانَ نَفْسَهُ.
One whose etiquette augments his intellect is like a [lone] shepherd among many sheep. 42ـ مَنْ زادَ أدَبُهُ على عَقْلِهِ كانَ كالرَّاعي بَيْنَ غَنَم كَثيرَة.
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