since mans knowledge of himself is not reliable due to mans nature being stupid about his faults and his excessive forgiveness of himself when he holds himself accountable and because his mind is not free from the mixing of desires with it when he looks at the conditions of his soul he cannot do without the help of a wise and loving brother who is like a mirror to him showing him the good of his conditions as good and the bad of them as bad.
ولما كانت معرفة الإنسان نفسه غير موثوق بها لما في طباع الإنسان من الغباوة عن مساوئه وكثرة مسامحته نفسه عند محاسبتها ولأن عقله غير سلام عن ممازجة الهوى إياه عند نظره في أحوال نفسه كان غير مستغن في البحث عن أحواله والفحص عن مساوئه ومحاسنه من معونة الأخ اللبيب الواد الذي يكون منه بمنزلة المرآة فيريه حسن أحواله حسنا وسيئها سيئا