Nahj al-Balāgha

ومن كتاب له (عليه السلام) إليه أيضاً

Also to Ziyād

فدَعِ الْإِسْرَافَ مُقْتَصِداً، وَاذْكُرْ فِي الْيَوْمِ غَداً، وَأَمْسِكْ مِنَ الْمَالِ بِقَدْرِ ضَرُورَتِكَ، وَقَدِّمِ الْفَضْلَ لِيَوْمِ حَاجَتِكَ.

Give up lavishness and be moderate. Every day remember the coming day. Hold back from the funds what you need and send forward the balance for the day of your need.

أَ تَرْجُو أَنْ يُعْطِيَكَ اللهُ أَجْرَ الْمُتَوَاضِعِينَ وَأَنْتَ عِنْدَهُ مِنَ الْمُتَكَبِّرِينَ! وَتَطْمَعُ ـ وَأَنْتَ مُتَمَرِّغٌ فِي النَّعِيمِ، تَمْنَعُهُ الضَّعِيفَ وَالْأَرْمَلَةَ ـ أَنْ يُوجِبَ لَكَ ثَوَابَ الْمتَصَدِّقِينَ؟ وَإِنَّمَا الْمَرْءُ مَجْزِيٌّ بَمَا أسلَفَ، وَقَادِمٌ عَلَى مَا قَدَّمَ، وَالسَّلَامُ.

Do you expect that Allāh may give you the reward of the humble while you yourself remain vain in His view? And do you covet that He may give you the reward of those practising charity while you enjoy comforts and deny them to the weak and the widows? Certainly, a man is awarded according as he acts and meets what he has sent forward; and that is an end to the matter.