الفَضْلُ فَضْلانِ فضلُ المرءِ بالأَدَبِ

الفَضْلُ فَضْلانِ فضلُ المرءِ بالأَدَبِ

مُقدَّما وَيليه الفضلُ بالنَّسبِ

مُقدَّما وَيليه الفضلُ بالنَّسبِ

Merit is of two kinds: a person's merit through cultivation

The merit of merit is twofold, the merit of a man is through etiquette

comes first, followed by merit through lineage.

Given precedence, followed by the merit of lineage

ففَضْلُ ذي أدَبٍ يُغْنيه عن نسبٍ

ففَضْلُ ذي أدَبٍ يُغْنيه عن نسبٍ

وليس ذو نَسَبٍ غانٍ عن الأدب

وليس ذو نَسَبٍ غانٍ عن الأدب

For a cultivated person's merit frees him from dependence on lineage,

So the merit of one with etiquette enriches him beyond lineage

and one of lineage cannot dispense with cultivation.

While one of mere lineage has no wealth without etiquette

كنِ ابنَ مَنْ شِئْتَ وَاكسَبْ فضلَ معرفةٍ

كنِ ابنَ مَنْ شِئْتَ وَاكسَبْ فضلَ معرفةٍ

يُغْنِيك عن فَضْلِ أُمٍّ كَسْبُه وأَبِ

يُغْنِيك عن فَضْلِ أُمٍّ كَسْبُه وأَبِ

Be the son of whomever you wish, and acquire the merit of knowledge;

Be the son of whom you will and gain the merit of knowledge

acquiring it frees you from dependence on the merit of mother and father.

That will enrich you beyond the merit of a mother and father

ولا يَغُرُّك إنْ بارتْ بَضائُعه

ولا يَغُرُّك إنْ بارتْ بَضائُعه

فالعلمُ في سائرِ الأَحْوابِ لم يَخِب

فالعلمُ في سائرِ الأَحْوابِ لم يَخِب

And do not be deceived if its wares go unsold,

And do not be fooled if her wares are plentiful

for knowledge has never failed in any circumstance.

For knowledge throughout the generations has not waned

فالعزُّ بالجهلِ يَجْنِى سوءَ عاقبةٍ

فالعزُّ بالجهلِ يَجْنِى سوءَ عاقبةٍ

والذلُّ بالعلمِ يَجْنِى حُسْنَ مُنْقَلَب

والذلُّ بالعلمِ يَجْنِى حُسْنَ مُنْقَلَب

For high standing with ignorance reaps an evil end,

For glory in ignorance yields an evil end

and low standing with knowledge reaps a good outcome.

While humility in knowledge yields a good outcome