واِيّاكَ والاِتِكالِ على المُنى فَاِنّها بَضائِعُ النُوكى والعَقلُ حِفظُ التَجارِبِ وخَيرُ مَا جَرَّبتَ ما وَعَظَكَ بَادِر الفُرصَةَ قَبلَ اَن تَكونَ غُصَّةً لَيسَ كُلُّ طَالِبٍ يُصِيبُ ولا غَائِبٌ يَئُوبُ ومِنَ الفَسادِ اِضاعَةُ الزَّادِ ومَفسَدةُ المَعادِ ولِكُلِّ اَمرٍ عَاقِبَةٌ سَوفَ يَأتِيكَ ما قُدِّرَ لَكَ، التاجِرُ مُخاطِرٌ ورُبَّ يَسيرٍ اَنمى مِن كَثِيرٍ، لا خَيرَ في مُعِينٍ مُهِينٍ ولا في صَدِيقٍ ظَنِين، سَاحِلُ الدَّهرِ ما ذلّ لَكَ قُعُودُه ولا تُخاطِر بِشَيئٍ رَجاءَ اَكثَرَ مِنهُ، واِيّاكَ اَن تَجمَحَ بِكَ مَطِيّةُ اللجَاجِ" “Your redressing what you have missed through your silence is easier than attaining what you have lost through your speech, Safeguarding the contents of the vessel through fastening its cover and safeguarding what is in your hands is dearer to me than seeking for what is the hands of others.
The bitterness of cutting off hopes (in people) is better than seeking from people. An occupation (to earn one’s living) accompanied by chastity is better than wealth accompanied by immorality. A person is the best keeper of his secrets. Often one strives for what is harmful for oneself. He who speaks much speaks nonsense and he who contemplates gains insight. Associate with people of goodness and you will be of them; forsake evil people and you will be separated from them.
The worst food is what is forbidden. Wronging the weak is the most evil wrongdoing. Where gentleness is considered to be roughness, there roughness is gentleness. Sometimes the remedy is the disease and the disease is the remedy. Sometimes one who is not a sincere counselor gives sincere advice and the one considered to be a sincere counselor gives insincere advice.