Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction. Therefore, O' listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood.
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said: Know with full conviction that Allah has not fixed for any person more livelihood than what has been ordained in the Book of Destiny, even though his means (of seeking it) may be great, his craving for it intense and his efforts for it acute; nor does the weakness of a person or the paucity of his means stand in the way between what is ordained in the Book of Destiny and himself. He who realizes it and acts upon it is the best of them all in point of comfort and benefit; while he who disregards it arid doubts it exceeds all men in disadvantages. Very often a favoured person is being slowly driven (towards punishment) through those favours; and very often an afflicted person is being done good through his affliction. Therefore, O' listener, increase your gratefulness, lessen your haste and stay within the bounds of your livelihood. [1]
Note:
1. Syed Razi, Nahj Al Balagha, English translator: Moulana Mufti Jafar, vol.5, Wonderful Saying 273.
وقال علیه السلام: اعْلَمُوا عِلْماً یَقِیناً أَنَّ اللهَ لَمْ یَجْعَلْ لِلْعَبْدِ وَإِنْ عَظُمَتْ حِیلَتُهُ، وَاشْتَدَّتْ طِلْبَتُهُ، وَقَوِیَتْ مَکِیْدَتُهُ أَکْثَرَ مِمَّا سُمِّیَ لَهُ فِی الذِّکْرِ الْحَکِیمِ ، وَلَمْ یَحُلْ بَیْنَ الْعَبْدِ فِی ضَعْفِهِ وَقِلَّهِ حِیلَتِهِ وَبَیْنَ أَنْ یَبْلُغَ مَا سُّمِّیَ لَهُ فِی الذِّکْرِ الْحَکِیمِ، وَالْعَارِفُ لِهذَا الْعَامِلُ بِهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ رَاحَهً فِی مَنْفَعَهٍ، وَالتَّارِکُ لَهُ الشَّاکُّ فِیهِ أَعْظَمُ النَّاسِ شُغُلاً فِی مَضَرَّهٍ. وَرُبَّ مُنْعَمٍ عَلَیْهِ مُسْتَدْرَجٌ بِالنُّعْمَی، وَرُبَّ مُبْتَلیً مَصْنُوعٌ لَهُ بِالْبَلْوَی! فَزِدْ أَیُّهَا الْمُسْتَمِعُ فِی شُکْرِکَ، وَقَصِّرْ مِنْ عَجَلَتِکَ، وَقِفْ عِنْدَ مُنتَهَی رِزْقِکَ