١٠٣. وَرُئِيَ عَلَيْهِ إِزَارٌ خَلَقٌ مَرْقُوعٌ فَقِيلَ لَهُ فِى ذَلِكَ فَقَالَ: يَخْشَعُ لَهُ الْقَلْبُ وَتَذِلُّ بِهِ النَّفْسُ وَيَقْتَدِى بِهِ الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِنَّ الدُّنْيَا وَالْآخِرَةَ عَدُوَّانِ مُتَفَاوِتَانِ وَسَبِيلَانِ مُخْتَلِفَانِ فَمَنْ أَحَبَّ الدُّنْيَا وَتَوَلَّاهَا أَبْغَضَ الْآخِرَةَ وَعَادَاهَا وَهُمَا بِمَنْزِلَةِ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَمَاشٍ بَيْنَهُمَا كُلَّمَا قَرُبَ مِنْ وَاحِدٍ بَعُدَ مِنَ الْآخَرِ وَهُمَا بَعْدُ ضَرَّتَانِ.

103. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, was seen in worn-out clothes with patches and when it was pointed out to him he said: With it the heart fears, the mind feels humble and the believers emulate it. Certainly, this world and the next are two enemies against each other and two paths in different directions. Whoever likes this world and loves it hates the next and is its enemy. These two are like East and West. If the walker between them gets near to one, he gets farther from the other. After all, they are like two fellow-wives.

103. (On le voit porter un vieux manteau raccommodé; on lui demande pourquoi le porte-i-il; il répond): Il attendrit le cœur, humilie l’âme et fournit un sujet d’imitation aux croyants. Ce monde et l’autre monde sont deux ennemis inconciliables et deux voies distinctes. Celui qui aime le monde ici-bas et le rend maître de ses comportements hait l’autre monde et le considère comme son ennemi. Ce sont deux antipodes, comme l’orient et l’occident. Celui qui, en marchant, s’approche de l’un, s’éloigne de l’autre. On dirait deux Co-épouses!

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #103