Umar said to me, "Have I not been told that you take up various positions of authority among the people, but when you are offered the wages for your work, you refuse them?"He replied, "Yes."Umar asked, "What do you intend by that?"He said, "I am wealthy. I have slaves and horses. I want my service to be a charity for the Muslims."Umar said, "Do not do that, for I used to do the same as you. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ would give me a payment, and I would say, 'Give it to someone more in need of it than I am.' He said, 'Take it. Either keep it as property or give it away in charity. Whatever Allah brings to you of this wealth without you craving it or asking for it, take it. As for what does not come to you, do not let your soul chase after it.'"
حدثنا عبد الرحمن حدثنا عبد الله بن المبارك عن معمر عن الزهري عن السائب بن يزيد
قال لي عمر رضي الله عنه ألم أحدث أنك تلي من أعمال الناس أعمالا فإذا أعطيت العمالة لم تقبلها قال نعم قال فما تريد إلى ذاك قال أنا غني لي أعبد ولي أفراس أريد أن يكون عملي صدقة على المسلمين قال لا تفعل فإني كنت أفعل مثل الذي تفعل كان رسول الله ﷺ يعطيني العطاء فأقول أعطه من هو أفقر إليه مني فقال خذه فإما أن تموله وإما أن تصدق به وما آتاك الله من هذا المال وأنت غير مشرف له ولا سائله فخذه وما لا فلا تتبعه نفسك
Its isnad is sahih, though in this isnad Huwaytib bin Abdul-Uzza has been omitted between Saaib bin Yazid and Abdullah bin Saadi. Perhaps Saaib heard it directly from both of them, or perhaps he narrated it here without a full chain, leaving out the missing link. It has already appeared with a connected chain mentioning Huwaytib under number 100. See also 136 and 137.