Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "By Him in Whose Hand my life is, it is better for anyone of you to take a rope and cut the wood (from the forest) and carry it over his back and sell it (as a means of earning his living) rather than to ask a person for something and that person may give him or not."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلاً فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ  

"By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of you were to take a rope and gather firewood on his back that would be better for him than coming to a man to whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has given of His bounty and asking him (for help). Which he may or may not give.  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلاً أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ ﷻ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ  

Yahya related to me from Malik from Abu'z-Zinad from al-Araj from Abu Hurayra that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said, "By Him in whose hand myself is! To take your rope and gather firewood on your back is better for you than that you come to a man to whom Allah has given some of His favour and ask him, so he gives to you or refuses."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ﷺ قَالَ وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلاً أَعْطَاهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ  

[Machine] "That one of you should go out in the morning and gather firewood on his back, then sell it and benefit from it, and give in charity from it, is better for him than going to a man and asking him to give or refrain (from giving), because the upper hand is better than the lower hand. Start with those who depend on you."  

لَأَنْ يَغْدُوَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَبِيعَهُفَيَسْتَغْنِيَ بِهِ وَيَتَصَدَّقَ مِنْهُ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلًا فَيَسْأَلَهُ يُؤْتِيهِ أَوْ يَمْنَعُهُ وَذَلِكَ أَنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا خَيْرٌ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ  

"By the One in Whose hand is my soul, if one of you were to take a rope and gather firewood on his back that would be better for him than coming to a man to whom Allah, the Mighty and Sublime, has given of His bounty and asking him (for help). Which he may or may not give. (Using translation from Nasāʾī 2589)  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَالَ «وَالَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَأَنْ يَأْخُذَ أَحَدُكُمْ حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ خَيْرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَأْتِيَ رَجُلًا أَعْطَاهُ اللهُ مِنْ فَضْلِهِ فَيَسْأَلَهُ أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعَهُ»  

"وَالَّذِي نَفْسي بِيَدِهِ لأنْ يَأخُذَ أَحدُكم حَبْلَهُ فَيَحْتَطِب على ظهرهِ خيرٌ له من أن يأتى رجلًا فَيَسألَه أعطاه أو مَنَعه".  

"وَاللَّهِ لَأَنْ يَغْدُوَ أَحَدُكُمْ فَيَحْتَطِبَ عَلَى ظَهْرِهِ فَيَتَصَدَّقَ مِنْهُ وَيَسْتَغْنِيَ بِهِ عَنْ النَّاسِ خَيرٌ لَهُ مِنْ أَنْ يَسْأَلَ رَجُلًا أَعْطَاهُ أَوْ مَنَعُهُ ذَلِكَ، فَإِنَّ الْيَدَ الْعُلْيَا أَفْضَلُ مِنَ الْيَدِ السُّفْلَى، وَابْدَأْ بِمَنْ تَعُولُ".