أَأَنثُرُ دُرّاً بَينَ سارِحَةِ النعَم

أَأَنثُرُ دُرّاً بَينَ سارِحَةِ النعَم

أَأَنظمُ مَنثوراً لِراعِيَةِ الغَنَم

أَأَنظمُ مَنثوراً لِراعِيَةِ الغَنَم

Shall I scatter pearls among grazing livestock?

Shall I scatter pearls among the carefree people?

Shall I string scattered pearls for a shepherdess of sheep?

Shall I compose prose for the shepherd girls?

لَعَمري لَئِن ضُيِّعتُ في شَرِّ بَلدَةٍ

لَعَمري لَئِن ضُيِّعتُ في شَرِّ بَلدَةٍ

فَلَستُ مُضيعاً فيهِمُ غُرَرَ الكَلِم

فَلَستُ مُضيعاً فيهِمُ غُرَرَ الكَلِم

By my life, even if I am neglected in the worst of towns,

By my life! If I am lost in an evil town,

I shall not squander the choicest words among them.

I am not wasted among them, the vain words.

فَإِن يَسَّرَ اللَهُ الكَريمُ بِلُطفِهِ

فَإِن يَسَّرَ اللَهُ الكَريمُ بِلُطفِهِ

وَصادَفتُ أَهلاً لِلعُلومِ وَلِلحِكَم

وَصادَفتُ أَهلاً لِلعُلومِ وَلِلحِكَم

For if God, the Generous, grants ease through His kindness,

If the generous God facilitates with His kindness,

And I meet someone worthy of knowledge and wisdom,

And I meet people apt for knowledge and wisdom,

بَثَثتُ مُفيداً وَاِستَفَدتُ وِدادَه

بَثَثتُ مُفيداً وَاِستَفَدتُ وِدادَه

وَإِلّا فَمَخزونٌ لَدَيَّ وَمُكتَتَم

وَإِلّا فَمَخزونٌ لَدَيَّ وَمُكتَتَم

I shall share it for his benefit and gain his affection;

I disseminate beneficial and gain their affection,

Otherwise, it remains stored with me and concealed.

Else it remains stored with me and concealed.

فَمَن مَنَحَ الجُهّالَ عِلماً أَضاعَه

فَمَن مَنَحَ الجُهّالَ عِلماً أَضاعَه

وَمَن مَنَعَ المُستَوجِبينَ فَقَد ظَلَم

وَمَن مَنَعَ المُستَوجِبينَ فَقَد ظَلَم

For whoever gives knowledge to the ignorant wastes it,

He who gives knowledge to the ignorant wastes it,

And whoever withholds it from the deserving has indeed done wrong.

And he who denies the deserving has done wrong.