He (‘a) said about the hypocrites...

He (‘a) said about the hypocrites: They have indeed prepared for every truth a falsehood, and for every straight thing something crooked, and for every living thing a killer, and for every [closed] door a key, and for every night a lamp. 12ـ وقالََ ـ عَلَيْهِ السّلامُ ـ في ذِكْرِ المُنافِقينَ: قَدْ أعَدُّوا لِكُلِّ حَقّ باطِلاً ولِكُلِّ قائِم مائِلاً ولِكُلِّ حَىّ قاتِلاً ولِكُلِّ باب مِفْتاحاً ولِكُلِّ لَيْل صَباحاً. Every hypocrite is a sceptic [who puts doubts in the minds of the people].

13ـ كُلُّ مُنافِق مُريبٌ. One whose hypocrisy abounds, his sincerity will not be recognized. 14ـ مَنْ كَثُرَ نِفاقُهُ لَمْ يُعْرَفْ وِفاقُهُ. How repulsive is it for a human being to agree externally while being hypocritical internally. 15ـ ما أقْبَحَ بِالإنْسانِ ظاهِراً مُوافِقاً وباطِناً مُنافِقاً. How repulsive it is for a human being to be two-faced. 16ـ ما أقْبَحَ بِالإنْسانِ أنْ يَكُونَ ذا وَجْهَيْنِ.

The example of the hypocrite is that of a colocynth, its leaves are green but its taste is bitter. 17ـ مَثَلُ المُنافِقِ كَالحَنْظَلَةِ الخَضِرَةِ أوْراقُها اَلمُرِّ مَذاقُها. The hypocrisy of a person stems from the inferiority [and humiliation] he finds within himself. 18ـ نِفاقُ المَرْءِ مِنْ ذُلّ يَجِدُهُ في نَفْسِهِ. About the hypocrites [he (’a) said]: They are the congregation of Satan and the dwellers of hellfire.

These are the party of Satan, and indeed it is the party of Satan who are the losers. 19ـ في ذِكْرِ المُنافِقينَ: هُمْ لُمَّةُ الشَّيْطانِ وحُمَّةُ النِّيرانِ أُولئِكَ حِزْبُ الشَّيْطانِ اَلا إنَّ حِزْبَ الشَّيْطانِ هُمُ الخاسِرُونَ. They walk stealthily and tread slowly, hiding behind trees. Their words are [like] a cure but their actions are incurable diseases. They exchange praise [with each other] and come near each other through (or are careful of) reward.

They obtain what they covet by means of despair. When they talk they create doubts, they dissemble in their speech and when they speak they delude (or distort). 20ـ يَمْشُونَ الخِفاءَ ويَدُبُّونَ الضَّرّاءَ قَوْلُهُمُ الدَّواءُ وفِعْلُهُمُ الدّاءُ العَياءُ يَتَقارَضُونَ الثَّناءَ ويَتَقارَبُونَ (يتراقبون) الجَزاءَ يَتَوَصَّلُونَ إلَى الطَّمَعِ بِاليَأْسِ وَيَقُولُونَ فَيُشَبِّهُونَ يُنافِقُونَ فِي المَقالِ ويَقُولُونَ فَيُوهِمُونَ (فَيُمَوِّهُون).