money is guarded and is sought at the bottom of the seas on the tops of mountains and in the thickets of thickets. it is sought in rough terrain as it is sought on the plains and is the same in valleys on the backs of roads in the easts of the earth and in the wests of the earth. it is sought with honor and sought with humiliation it is sought with loyalty and sought with treachery it is sought with asceticism as it is sought with killing it is sought with truthfulness and sought with lies it is sought with vulgarity and sought with flattery. no trick or charm is left in it until it is sought with disbelief in god as it is sought with faith and it is sought with foolishness as it is sought with nobility. they have set traps in every place and set up traps at every windingplace. he who does not stop short of victory has sought you and he who does not sleep without healing has envied you. the seeker of great things may rest but the sought one is by himself while the keen one does not rest.
إن المال محروص عليه، ومطلوب في قعر البحار وفي رؤوس الجبال وفي دغل الغياض ١ ، ومطلوب في الوعورة كما يطلب في السهولة، وسواء فيها بطون الأودية وظهور الطرق ومشارق الأرض ومغاربها. فطلبت بالعز وطلبت بالذل، وطلبت بالوفاء وطلبت بالغدر، وطلبت بالنسك كما طلبت بالفتك ٢ ، وطلبت بالصدق وطلبت بالكذب، وطلبت بالبذاء وطلبت بالملق. فلم تترك فيها حيلة ولا رقية، حتى طلبت بالكفر بالله كما طلبت بالإيمان، وطلبت بالسخف كما طلبت بالنبل. فقد نصبوا الفخاخ بكل موضع، ونصبوا الشرك بكل ريع ٣ . وقد طلبك من لا يقصر دون الظفر، وحسدك من لا ينام دون الشفاء. وقد يهدأ الطالب الطوائل ٤ ، والمطلوب بذات نفسه، ولا يهدأ الحريص.