although envy is entrusted to the lowest and the lowest it is not absent from the most distant and the most distant. we have seen and witnessed someone who lived in iraq and claimed to be a scholar and a man of letters and news reached him of a partner in the craft from the people of khurasan and balkh about the consistency of his leadership in his country his good condition and his noble position among the people of his city the obedience of the common people to him and the people flocking to him so his heart flew with fear and he was seized by the wrath and he breathed a sigh of relief and was shaken like a bankrupt who has been rained on. then a man from my brothers who was on my right said to me when he saw what he saw from him he who said no oppressor has been seen more similar to the oppressed than one who envies a blessing for his soul is connected his distress is constant and his thoughts do not sleep.
والحسد وإن كان موكلا بالأدنى فالأدنى فإنه لم يعر منه الأبعد فالأبعد. فقد رأينا وشاهدنا من كان يسكن العراق وينتحل العلم والأدب، انتهى إليه خبر مشارك له في الصناعة من أهل خراسان وجنبة بلخ من اتساق الرياسة في بلده، وجميل حاله ونبيل محله عند أهل مصره، وطاعة العامة له، وترادف الناس عليه، فطار قلبه فرقا، وأخذته الأرباء، وتنفس الصعداء وانتفض انتفاض المفلس الممطور، فقال لي رجل من إخواني كان عن يميني، حين رأى ما رأى منه بحق قال من قال لم ير ظالم أشبه بمظلوم من حاسد نعمة؛ فإن نفسه متصل، وكربه دائم، وفكرته لا تنام .