Guard well the sanctities [of such things that are...

Guard well the sanctities [of such things that are sacrosanct] and draw near to the people of magnanimity, for indeed guarding the sanctities [and boundaries] demonstrates an honourable character and drawing near to the magnanimous indicates nobility of purpose. 13ـ أحْسِن رِعايَةَ الحُرُماتِ، وأقْبِلْ عَلى أهْلِ المُرُوءاتِ، فَإنَّ رِعايَةَ الحُرُماتِ تَدُلُّ عَلى كَرَمِ الشِّيمَةِ، والإقبالَ عَلى ذَوِى المُرُوءاتِ يُعْرِبُ عَنْ شَرَفِ الهِمَّةِ.

Be merciful to the one who is under you and the one who is above you will be merciful to you; compare his forgetfulness with your forgetfulness and his disobedience with your disobedience to you Lord, and his need of your mercy to your need of the mercy of your Lord. 14ـ اِرْحَمْ مَنْ دُونَكَ يَرْحَمْكَ مَنْ فَوْقَكَ وَقِسْ سَهْوَهُ بِسَهْوِكَ ومَعْصِيَتَهُ لَكَ بِمَعْصِيَتِكَ لِرَبِّكَ وفَقْرَهُ إلى رَحْمَتِكَ بِفَقْرِكَ إلى رَحْمَةِ رَبِّكَ.

Cling to the people of virtue and piety, and request them not compliment you, for indeed excessive praise brings one close to being deceived [about his true status] and being pleased with it causes the displeasure of Allah. 15ـ اِلْصَقْ بِأهْلِ الخَيْرِ والوَرَعِ، وَرَضِّهِمْ عَلى أنْ لايُطْرُوكَ، فَإنَّ كَثْرَةَ الإطْراءِ تُدْني مِنَ الغِرَّةِ، والرِّضا بِذلِكَ يُوجِبُ مِنَ اللّهِ المَقْتَ.

Make your self a gauge between you and the other; love for him what you love for your self, and hate for him what you hate for it, and do good as you would like good to be done to you, and do not oppress just as you would like not to be oppressed. 16ـ اِجْعَلْ نَفْسَكَ ميزاناً بَيْنَكَ وبَيْنَ غَيْرِكَ، وأحِبَّ لَهُ ما تُحِبُّ لِنَفْسِكَ، واكْرَهْ لَهُ ما تَـكْرَهُ لَها، وأحْسِنْ كَما تُحِبُّ أنْ يُحْسَنَ إلَيْكَ، ولاتَظْلِمْ كَما تُحِبُّ أنْ لاتُظْلَمَ.

Associate with people in the way that you would like them to associate with you, [by doing this] you will be safe from them and they will be safe from you. 17ـ إصْحَبِ النّاسَ بِما تُحِبُّ أنْ يَصْحَبُوكَ تَأمَنْهُمْ ويَأمَنُوكَ. Keep away from socializing with evil people for they are like fire - the one who comes in contact with it gets burnt. 18ـ إيّاكَ ومُعاشَرَةَ الأشْرارِ، فَإنَّهُمْ كَالنّارِ مُباشَرَتُها تُحْرِقُ.

Keep away from socializing with those who look for the faults (or sins) of people, for indeed even their companion is not safe from them. 19ـ إيّاكَ وَمُعاشَرَةَ مُتَتَبِّعي عُيُوبِ (الذُّنُوبِ) النّاسِ،فَإنَّهُ لَمْ يَسْلَمْ مُصاحِبُهُمْ مِنْهُمْ.