Translations:On Dokuzuncu Lem'a/70/en

I observed the fearsome harm of wastefulness and excess on a broad scale. It was as follows: nine years ago I visited a fortunate town. It was winter and I could not see its sources of wealth. Several times the town’s Mufti, may God have mercy on him, said to me, “Our people are poor.” His words touched me. The next five or six years I felt continual pity for the people of the town. Eight years later I again visited it, in the summer. I looked at the gardens and recalled the words of the late Mufti. “Glory be to God!”, I exclaimed, “These gardens’ crops are far greater than the needs of the town. Its people should be very rich.” I was amazed. Then remembering a truth that has never deceived me and is my guide in understanding other truths, I understood that the abundance and plenty had disappeared due to wastefulness and excess, so that although the town possessed such sources of wealth, the late Mufti used to say: “Our people are poor.”