Commendation causes vainglory and brings one closer to heedlessness
الْإِطْرَاءُ يُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ وَيُدْنِي مِنَ الْغِرَّةِ [الْعِزَّةِ]
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Be on your guard against excessive flattery and praise for indeed these two have a foul odour in the heart
احْتَرِسُوا مِنْ سَوْرَةِ الْإِطْرَاءِ وَالْمَدْحِ فَإِنَّ لَهُمَا رِيحاً خَبِيثَةً فِي الْقَلْبِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Keep away from self-conceit and love for praise, for these are the strongest opportunities for Satan
إِيَّاكَ وَالْإِعْجَابَ وَحُبَّ الْإِطْرَاءِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ مِنْ أَوْثَقِ فُرَصِ الشَّيْطَانِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Love of fame is the cornerstone of every affliction
حُبُّ النَّبَاهَةِ رَأْسُ [أُسُ] كُلِّ بَلِيَّةٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Love for compliments and praise is from the surest opportunities of Satan
حُبُّ الْإِطْرَاءِ وَالْمَدْحِ مِنْ أَوْثَقِ فُرَصِ الشَّيْطَانِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Verily the person who praises you is surely a deceiver of your intellect, [and] a cheater who cheats you about yourself with false compliments and spurious praise; so if you deprive him of your grant or withhold from him your favour, he will label you with every scandal and will attribute every ugly act to you
إِنَّ مَادِحَكَ لَخَادِعٌ [إن مادحك الخاع] لِعَقْلِكَ غَاشٌّ لَكَ فِي نَفْسِكَ بِكَاذِبِ الْإِطْرَاءِ وَزُورِ الثَّنَاءِ فَإِنْ حَرَمْتَهُ نَوَالَكَ أَوْ مَنَعْتَهُ إِفْضَالَكَ وَسَمَكَ بِكُلِّ فَضِيحَةٍ وَنَسَبَكَ إِلَى كُلِّ قَبِيحَةٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The ugliest truth is a person’s praise for himself
أَقْبَحُ الصِّدْقِ ثَنَاءُ الرَّجُلِ عَلَى نَفْسِهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
When you praise, be brief
إِذَا مَدَحْتَ فَاخْتَصِرْ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
How many a person is deluded by the good that is spoken about him
كَمْ مِنْ مَغْرُورٍ بِحُسْنِ الْقَوْلِ فِيهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
How many a person is thrilled by the praise showered upon him
كَمْ مِنْ مَفْتُونٍ بِالثَّنَاءِ عَلَيْهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Excessive praise is flattery; it causes vainglory and brings one closer to heedlessness
كَثْرَةُ الثَّنَاءِ مَلَقٌ يُحْدِثُ الزَّهْوَ وَيُدْنِي مِنَ الْعِزَّةِ [الْغِرَّةِ]
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
One who praises you has [actually] slaughtered you
مَنْ مَدَحَكَ فَقَدْ ذَبَحَكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Beware of praising anyone for something that is not in him, for indeed his action affirms his attribute and belies you
إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تُثْنِيَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ فَإِنَّ فِعْلَهُ يَصْدُقُ عَنْ وَصْفِهِ وَيُكَذِّبُكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Seeking praise without deserving it is foolishness
طَلَبُ الثَّنَاءِ بِغَيْرِ اسْتِحْقَاقٍ خُرْقٌ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
When someone thanks you without [your having done him] a good turn, then do not consider yourself safe from his censure without any breach
مَنْ شَكَرَكَ مِنْ غَيْرِ صَنِيعَةٍ فَلَا تَأْمَنْ ذَمَّهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَطِيعَةٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
One who shows gratitude without any favor, censures without any wrongdoing?
مَنْ شُكِرَ عَلَى غَيْرِ إِحْسَانٍ [مَعْرُوفٍ] ذُمَّ عَلَى غَيْرِ إِسَاءَةٍ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
One who praises you for what is not in you is indeed likely to blame you for that which you have not done
مَنْ مَدَحَكَ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيكَ فَهُوَ خَلِيقٌ أَنْ يَذُمَّكَ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
One who is praised for that which is not in him is ridiculed by it
مَنْ أُثْنِيَ عَلَيْهِ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ سُخِرَ بِهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
Whoever praises you for that which is not in you, then it is actually a criticism of you if you think about it
مَنْ مَدَحَكَ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيكَ فَهُوَ ذَمٌّ لَكَ إِنْ عَقَلْتَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The one who praises a person for that which is not in him is mocking him
مَادِحُ الرَّجُلِ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيهِ مُسْتَهْزِئٌ بِهِ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech
The one who praises you for that which is not in you is [actually] mocking you, and if you do not give him that which fulfils his wants, he will be excessive in his blame and defamation of you
مَادِحُكَ بِمَا لَيْسَ فِيكَ مُسْتَهْزِئٌ بِكَ فَإِنْ لَمْ تُسْعِفْهُ بِنَوَالِكَ بَالَغَ فِي ذَمِّكَ وَهِجَائِكَ
Source : Ghurar Al-Hikam Wa Durar Al-Kalim, Exalted Aphorisms And Pearls Of Speech