٢٧٣. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام): اعْلَمُوا عِلْماً يَقِيناً أَنَّ اللَّهَ لَمْ يَجْعَلْ لِلْعَبْدِ وَإِنْ عَظُمَتْ حِيلَتُهُ وَاشْتَدَّتْ طَلِبَتُهُ وَ قَوِيَتْ مَكِيدَتُهُ أَكْثَرَ مِمَّا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ وَلَمْ يَحُلْ بَيْنَ الْعَبْدِ فِى ضَعْفِهِ وَقِلَّةِ حِيلَتِهِ وَبَيْنَ أَنْ يَبْلُغَ مَا سُمِّيَ لَهُ فِى الذِّكْرِ الْحَكِيمِ وَالْعَارِفُ لِهَذَا الْعَامِلُ بِهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ رَاحَةً فِى مَنْفَعَةٍ وَالتَّارِكُ لَهُ الشَّاكُّ فِيهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ شُغُلًا فِى مَضَرَّةٍ وَرُبَّ مُنْعَمٍ عَلَيْهِ مُسْتَدْرَجٌ بِالنُّعْمَى وَرُبَّ مُبْتَلًى مَصْنُوعٌ لَهُ بِالْبَلْوَى فَزِدْ أَيُّهَا الْمُسْتَنْفِعُ فِى شُكْرِكَ وَقَصِّرْ مِنْ عَجَلَتِكَ وَقِفْ عِنْدَ مُنْتَهَى رِزْقِكَ.

273. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Know with full conviction that Allāh has not fixed for any person more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny, even though his means (of seeking it) may be great, his craving for it intense and his efforts for it acute; nor does the weakness of a person or the paucity of his means stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself. He who realizes it and acts upon it is the best of them all in point of comfort and benefit; while he who disregards it and doubts it exceeds all men in disadvantages. Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction. Therefore, O’ listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.

273. Sachez certainement que Dieu rte dorme pas au serviteur - même s'il était très astucieux, s’il use d’un grand artifice et insiste énormément- plus que ne lui donne le Coran. Dieu n’empêche non plus le serviteur, malgré sa faiblesse et le peu d’astuce qu’il a, d’atteindre ce qui lui est dû d’après le Coran. Celui qui connaît cette vérité et agit selon elle connaît le plus grand bien-être, mais celui qui en doute et la délaisse rencontre la besogne la plus rude et la plus nuisible. Il arrive souvent que Dieu amène l’homme heureux par degrés à une plus grande prospérité et augmente le malheur de celui qu’il éprouve! O toi qui cherches ton propre avantage augmente tes remerciements, ne te hâte pas dans l’acquisition de tes biens qui doivent avoir une limite.

Nahj al-Balāgha

Chapter #273