The futility of lineage without personal merit
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 389
۳۸۹. وَقَالَ (عليه السلام): مَنْ أَبْطَأَ بِهِ عَمَلُهُ لَمْ يُسْرِعْ بِهِ نَسَبُهُ.
389. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said: Whomever his action detains behind, his lineage cannot put him forward.
وَفِي رِوَايَةٍ أُخْرَى: مَنْ فَاتَهُ حَسَبُ نَفْسِهِ لَمْ يَنْفَعْهُ حَسَبُ آبَائِهِ.
In another version it is thus: Whoever misses personal attainment cannot be benefited by his forefathers’ attainments.