Whoever obeys his soul in its lustful desires has indeed helped to destroy it.
مَنْ أطاعَ نَفْسَهُ في شَهَواتِها فَقدْ أعانَها عَلى هُلْكِها۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever is pleased with himself, his flaws become known.
مَنْ رَضِيَ عَنْ نَفْسِهِ ظَهَرَتْ عَلَيْهِ المَعائِبُ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever reprimands his soul for [its] faults, it is deterred from many of the sins.
مَنْ وَبَّخَ نَفْسَهُ عَلَى العُيُوبِ اِرْتَعَدَتْ عَنْ كَثيرِ الذُّنُوبِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who has in his soul a restrainer [from evil], has a protector over him from Allah.
مَنْ كانَ لَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ زاجِرٌ كانَ عَلَيْهِ مِنَ اللّهِ حافِظٌ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever knows himself has indeed attained the highest goal of every cognizance and knowledge.
مَنْ عَرَفَ نَفْسَهُ فَقَدِ انْتَهى إلى غايَةِ كُلِّ مَعْرِفَة وعِلْم۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who does not discipline [and purify] his soul, will not benefit from the intellect.
مَنْ لَمْ يُهَذِّبْ نَفْسَهُ لَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِالعَقْلِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever does not benefit from his [own] soul, people do not benefit from him.
مَنْ لَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِنَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِهِ النّاسُ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who does not humble himself in his own eyes will not be elevated in the sight of others.
مَنْ لَمْ يَتَّضِعْ عِنْدَ نَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَرْتَفِعْ عِنْدَ غَيْرِهِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who does not reform himself cannot reform others.
مَنْ لَمْ يُصْلِحْ نَفْسَهُ لَمْ يُصْلِحْ غَيْرَهُ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One whom Allah does not help [to fight] against his [carnal] soul will not benefit from the advice...
مَنْ لَمْ يُعِنْهُ اللّهُ عَلى نَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِمَوْعِظَةِ واعِظ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who leaves his [carnal] soul free [to do as it wills] will be taken by it to the paths of...
مَنْ رَخَّصَ لِنَفْسِهِ ذَهَبَتْ بِهِ في مَذاهِبِ الظُّلْمَةِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever deals leniently with [and flatters] his soul, it makes him rush towards forbidden sins.
مَنْ داهَنَ نَفْسَهُ هَجَمَتْ بِهِ عَلَى المَعاصِى المُحَرَّمَةِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever does not set right his soul by reforming it, his malady becomes worse and curing it becomes...
مَنْ لَمْ يَتَدارَكْ نَفْسَهُ بِإصْلاحِها أعْضَلَ داؤُهُ وأعْيى شِفاؤُهُ وعَدِمَ الطَّبيبَ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One whose grief over his soul is prolonged in this world, Allah will give him delight on the Day of...
مَنْ طالَ حُزْنُهُ عَلى نَفْسِهِ فيِ الدُّنيا أقَرَّ اللّهُ عَيْنَهُ يَوْمَ القِيامَةِ وأحَلَّهُ دارَ المُقامَةِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever preoccupies himself with other than his [own] soul falters in the darkness and becomes...
مَنْ شَغَلَ نَفْسَهُ بِغَيْرِ نَفْسِهِ تَحَيَّرَ فِي الظُّلُماتِ وارْتَبَكَ فِي الهَلَكاتِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who does not know himself is distanced from the path of salvation and stumbles in misguidance...
مَنْ لَمْ يَعْرِفْ نَفْسَهُ بَعُدَ عَنْ سَبيلِ النَّجاةِ وخَبَطَ فيِ الضَّلالِ وَالجَهالاتِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who advises [and admonishes] himself is worthy of giving advice to others.
مَنْ نَصَحَ نَفْسَهُ كانَ جَديراً بِنُصْحِ غَيْرِهِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who deceives himself is more deceitful with others.
مَنْ غَشَّ نَفْسَهُ كانَ أغَشَّ لِغَيْرِهِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One whose soul is honourable, his dissension and disagreement [with the people] is reduced.
مَنْ كَرُمَتْ نَفْسُهُ قَلَّ شِقاقُهُ وخِلافُهُ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever blames his soul, reforms it.
مَنْ ذَمَّ نَفْسَهُ أصْلَحَها۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever praises his soul, slays it.
مَنْ مَدَحَ نَفْسَها ذَبَحَها۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One whose soul is honourable, this world becomes insignificant in his eyes.
مَنْ كَرُمَتْ نَفْسُهُ صَغُرَتِ الدُّنيا في عَيْنِهِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
Whoever sells his soul for other than the bliss of Paradise has indeed oppressed it.
مَنْ باعَ نَفْسَهُ بِغَيْرِ نَعِيمِ الجَنَّةِ فَقَدْ ظَلَمَها۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
One who does not discipline his soul is disgraced by [its] bad habits.
مَنْ لَمْ يُهَذِّبْ نَفْسَهُ فَضَحَهُ سُوءُ العادَةِ۔
—Ghurar al-Hikam
—غُرَرُ الحِکَم و دُرَرُ الکَلِم
