• Greed and precipitancy are the cause of loss. For the greedy and hasty person will not act in accordance with the successive causes in creation, like the steps of a staircase, and therefore will not be successful. Even if he is, since he skips some of the steps of the natural progression, he falls into despair, and then, when overcome by heedlessness, the door is opened to him.

• God Almighty created the inner heart for belief and for knowledge and love of Himself, while the outer heart He designed for other things. Criminal greed pierces the heart, and introduces idols into it. God is displeased and punishes the greedy person with the opposite of his purpose.

• The scoundrels who because of ambition took political thought to the places of Islamic beliefs did not receive honour and glory, but were execrated and reviled. The frustration and despair of sensual love arise from this same greed and ambition. All the poetry about this sort of love are the lamentations of mourning.

• If you anxiously try to sleep at night, you will chase sleep away and remain awake.

• There are two beggars, one persistently importunate, the other reserved and selfcontained. A further example of this extensive law is that one would rather give to the latter.