ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)
From one of his sermons
[في بعض النسخ:] وَهِيَ فِي التَّزۡهِيدِ فِي الدُّنۡيَا وَثَوَابِ اللّٰهِ لِلزَّاهِدِ وَنِعَمِ اللّٰهِ عَلَى الۡخَلۡقِ
On the decline and transience of the world and the reward and punishment of the Hereafter
[في بعض النسخ:] قَدۡ تَقَدَّمَ مُخۡتَارُهَا بِرِوَايَةٍ، وَنَذۡكُرُهَا هَاهُنَا بِرِوَايَةٍ أُخۡرَى لِتَغَايُرِ الرِّوَايَتَيۡنِ
This sermon has already appeared earlier but due to the difference between the two versions we have quoted it again here.
[التزهيد في الدنيا:] أَلَا وَإِنَّ الدُّنۡيَا قَدۡ تَصَرَّمَتۡ وَآذَنَتۡ بِانۡقِضَاءٍ، وَتَنَكَّرَ مَعۡرُوفُهَا، وَأَدۡبَرَتۡ حَذَّاءَ، فَهِيَ تَحۡفِزُ بِالۡفَنَاءِ سُكَّانَهَا، وَتَحۡدُو بِالۡمَوۡتِ جِيرَانَهَا، وَقَدۡ أَمَرَّ فِيهَا مَا كَانَ حُلۡواً، وَكَدِرَ مِنۡهَا مَا كَانَ صَفۡواً، فَلَمۡ يَبۡقَ مِنۡهَا إِلَّا سَمَلَةٌ كَسَمَلَةِ الۡإِدَاوَةِ، أَوۡ جُرۡعَةٌ كَجُرۡعَةِ الۡمَقۡلَةِ، لَوۡ تَمَزَّزَهَا الصَّدۡيَانُ لَمۡ يَنۡقَعۡ، فَأَزۡمِعُوا عِبَادَ اللهِ الرَّحِيلَ عَنۡ هَذِهِ الدَّارِ الۡمَقۡدُورِ عَلَى أَهۡلِهَا الزَّوَالُ، وَلَا يَغۡلِبَنَّكُمۡ فِيهَا الۡأَمَلُ، وَلَا يَطُولَنَّ عَلَيۡكُمۡ فِيهَا الۡأَمَدُ.
Beware, the world is wrapping itself up and has announced its departure. Its known things have become strangers, and it is speedily moving backward. It is advancing its inhabitants towards destruction and driving its neighbours towards death. Its sweet things (enjoyments) have become sour, and its clear things have become polluted. Consequently, what has remained of it is just like the remaining water in a vessel or a mouthful of water in the measure. If a thirsty person drinks it, his thirst is not quenched. O creatures of Allāh, get ready to go out of this world for whose inhabitants decay is ordained, and (beware) heart’s wishes should overpower you, nor should you take your stay (in life) to be long.
[ثواب الزهاد:] فَوَاللهِ! لَوْ حَنَنْتُمْ حَنِينَ الْوُلَّهِ الْعِجَالِ، وَدَعَوْتُمْ بِهَدِيلِ الْحَمَامِ، وَجَأَرْتُمْ جُؤَارَ مُتَبَتِّلِي الرُّهْبَانِ، وَخَرَجْتُمْ إِلَى اللهِ مِنَ الْأَمْوَالِ وَالْأَوْلَادِ، الْتِمَاسَ الْقُرْبَةِ إِلَيْهِ فِي ارْتِفَاعِ دَرَجَةٍ عِنْدَهُ، أَوْ غُفْرَانِ سَيِّئَةٍ أَحْصَتْهَا كُتُبُهُ، وَحَفِظَتْهَا رُسُلُهُ، لَكَانَ قَلِيلًا فِيمَا أَرْجُو لَكُمْ مِنْ ثَوَابِهِ، وَأَخَافُ عَلَيْكُمْ مِنْ عِقَابِهِ.
By Allāh, if you cry like the she-camel that has lost its young one, call out like the cooing of pigeons, make noise like devoted recluses, and turn to Allāh, leaving your wealth and children as a means to secure His nearness, and high position with Him, or the forgiveness of sins which have been covered by His books and recorded by His angels, it would be less than His reward that I expect for you or His retribution that I fear about you.
[نعم الله:] وَاللهِ! [في بعض النسخ: وَتَاللّٰهِ!] لَوِ انۡمَاثَتۡ قُلُوبُكُمُ انۡمِيَاثاً، وَسَالَتۡ عُيُونُكُمۡ مِنۡ رَغۡبَةٍ إِلَيۡهِ وَرَهۡبَةٍ [في بعض النسخ: أَوۡ رَهۡبَةٍ] مِنۡهُ دَماً، ثُمَّ عُمِّرۡتُمۡ فِي الدُّنۡيَا، مَا الدُّنۡيَا بَاقِيَةٌ، مَا جَزَتۡ أَعۡمَالُكُمۡ [في بعض النسخ: أَعۡمَالُكُمۡ عَنۡكُمۡ] ـ وَلَوۡ لَمۡ تُبۡقُوا شَيۡئاً مِنۡ جُهۡدِكُمۡ ـ أَنۡعُمَهُ عَلَيۡكُمُ الۡعِظَامَ، وَهُدَاهُ إِيَّاكُمۡ لِلۡإِيمَانِ.
By Allāh, if your hearts melt down thoroughly, and your eyes shed tears of blood either in hope for Him or for fear from Him, and you are also allowed to live in this world all the time that it lasts, even then your actions cannot pay for His great bounties over you and His having guided you towards faith.
