Amīr al-mu’minīn's reflections on human folly and divine wisdom
Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 126
وَعَجِبْتُ لِلْمُتَكَبِّرِ الَّذِى كَانَ بِالْأَمْسِ نُطْفَةً وَيَكُونُ غَداً جِيفَةً وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ شَكَّ فِى اللَّهِ وَهُوَ يَرَى خَلْقَ اللَّهِ وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ نَسِيَ الْمَوْتَ وَهُوَ يَرَى الْمَوْتَى وَعَجِبْتُ لِمَنْ أَنْكَرَ النَّشْأَةَ الْأُخْرَى وَهُوَ يَرَى النَّشْأَةَ الْأُولَى وَعَجِبْتُ لِعَامِرٍ دَارَ الْفَنَاءِ وَتَارِكٍ دَارَ الْبَقَاءِ.
I wonder at the proud man who was just a drop of semen the other day and will turn into a corpse tomorrow. I wonder at the man who doubts Allāh although he sees His creations. I wonder at him who has forgotten death although he sees people dying. I wonder at him who denies the second life although he has seen the first life. I wonder at him who inhabits this transient abode but ignores the everlasting abode.