 found you during that wasting and neglecting two matters which are the pole upon which virtues revolve. so you were more deserving of blame and more worthy of rebuke than someone who did not precede you or attain your rank because he who has wasted a lot is not blamed for wasting a little and he who has been corrupted in his life is not forgiven for correcting his day and setting his hour straight and he who is not without slipping and stumbling is not held accountable for a single mistake and he who is not without slipping and stumbling is not denounced for evil by someone who is not among the people of good because if evil increases it becomes good and if it becomes good the good evil becomes evil.
ووجدتك في خلال ذلك على سبيل تضييع وإهمال لأمرين هما القطب الذي عليه مدار الفضائل، فكنت أحق بالعذل، وأقمن بالتأنيب ممن لم يسبق شأوك، ولم يتسنم رتبتك؛ لأنه ليس ملوما على تضييع القليل من قد أضاع الكثير، ولا يسام إصلاح يومه وتقويم ساعته من قد استحوذ الفساد على دهره، ولا يحاسب على الزلة الواحدة من لا يعدم منه الزلل والعثار، ولا ينكر المنكر على من ليس من أهل المعروف؛ لأن المنكر إذا كثر صار معروفا، وإذا صار معروفا صار المنكر المعروف منكرا.