First we follow the ego — our deeds grow worse. We do forbidden things. As a result, a sickness appears in…

First we follow the ego — our deeds grow worse. We do forbidden things. As a result, a sickness appears in the heart. When reason cannot hold the ego back from baseness, a person keeps on doing loathsome things. The heart first rusts, black soot covers it, then it goes bad, rots, and turns into a handful of foul-smelling liquid. That is the death of the heart. May God protect us! The sickness of the heart shows itself first of all in anger. Anger flaring up for nothing is a sign of a serious sickness in the heart. Secondly, arrogance, looking down on others and considering oneself above them is a disease of the heart. Thirdly, always thinking ill of people and accusing them without grounds is a vice of the heart. Fourthly, being eager to know people’s faults and expose their secrets, and taking pleasure in this, counts as proof that the heart has been seriously damaged. Fifthly, loving praise and boasting comes from the heart’s pitiful state. Sixthly, being infatuated with people’s attention and recognition, and with the praise about oneself that comes from behind one’s back, comes from the weakness of the heart. In people afflicted with such vices one sees behaviors like haste, refusing to accept the truth and advice, backbiting, talebearing, lying, slyness, double-facedness and oppression. One must think about setting the heart right. Likewise, unlawful and doubtful food is a root cause of the sickness of the human heart. Beneath every unseemly deed lies a sickness of the heart.