Through renunciation of worldly pleasures, wisdom is brought forth.

Through renunciation of worldly pleasures, wisdom is brought forth. 31ـ بِالزُّهدِ تُثْمِرُ الحِكْمَةُ. The fruit of renouncing worldly pleasures is repose. 32ـ ثَمَرَةُ الزُّهدِ الرّاحَةُ. Complete renunciation of worldly pleasures is from the best [act of] faith while desire for this world corrupts conviction. 33ـ حُسْنُ الزُّهْدِ مِنْ أفْضَلِ الإيمانِ، والرَّغْبَةُ فِي الدُّنيا تُفْسِدُ الإيقانَ. The foundation of generosity is renunciation of worldly pleasures.

34ـ رَأسُ السَّخاءِ الزُّهْدُ فِي الدُّنيا. Your renunciation of this world will save you and your desire for it will cause you to fall into destruction. 35ـ زُهْدُكَ فِي الدُّنيا يُنْجيكَ، ورَغْبَتُكَ فيها تُرْديكَ. A person’s renunciation of that which perishes is proportionate to his certainty about that which is everlasting. 36ـ زُهْدُ المَرْءِ فيما يَفْنى على قَدْرِ يَقينِهِ بِما يَبْقى. Restraining the soul from the pleasures of this world is the praiseworthy asceticism.

37ـ ظَلَفُ النَّفْسِ عَنْ لَذَّاتِ الدُّنيا هُوَ الزُّهْدُ المَحْمُودُ. Espouse the renunciation of worldly pleasures, for indeed it helps the religion. 38ـ عَلَيكَ بِالزُّهْدِ فَإنَّهُ عَوْنُ الدّينِ. How can one who does not know the value of the Hereafter renounce worldly pleasures?! 39ـ كَيْفَ يَزهَدُ فِي الدُّنيا مَنْ لا يَعْرِفُ قَدْرَ الآخِرَةِ؟! How can one who has not killed off his lustful desires reach the essence of asceticism?!

40ـ كَيفَ يَصِلُ إلى حَقيقَةِ الزُّهدِ مَنْ لَمْ يُمِتْ شَهْوَتَهُ؟! Let your renunciation be of that thing which perishes and disappears, for indeed neither will it remain for you nor will you remain for it. 41ـ لِيَكُنْ زُهْدُكَ فيما يَنْفَدُ ويَزُولُ، فَإنَّهُ لا يَبْقى لَكَ وَلا تَبْقى لَهُ. He who renounces worldly pleasures will never become poor. 42ـ لَنْ يَفْتَقِرَ مَنْ زَهِدَ. Whoever renounces worldly pleasures, tribulations become easy for him [to bear].

43ـ مَنْ زَهِدَ هانَتْ عَلَيْهِ المِحَنُ. One who renounces pleasures in this world fortifies [and protects] his religion. 44ـ مَنْ زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنيا حَصَّنَ دينَهُ. Whoever renounces this world, it will not elude him. 45ـ مَنْ زَهِدَ فِي الدُّنيا لَمْ تَفُتْهُ. By renouncing worldly pleasures, the fruit of wisdom comes forth. 46ـ مََعَ الزُّهْدِ تُثْمِرُ الحِكْمَةُ. Never renounce anything until you know what it is. 47ـ لاتَزْهَدَنَّ في شَيء حَتّى تَعْرِفَهُ.