إِذا اِختَلَفَ الناسُ في مَدرَكٍ

وَلَم يحتمل غَير وَجهي خِلاف

When people disagree about a concept

And it bears no other aspects of contention

فَما الحَقُ فيهِ سِوى واحِدٍ

وَفكرٍ لتبصِرَهُ غَير خاف

Then the truth in it is single

Reached only by enlightened comprehension

وَإِن يَحتَمِل أَوجُهاً نَطَقُوا

بِقَولينِ مِن نظرٍ غَيرِ شاف

And if it bears multiple facets

They spoke but two views, neither complete

فَقد يَظهَرُ الحَقُ في ثالثٍ

وَوَلاهُم صادرٌ عَن خِراف

Yet the truth may reveal itself in a third

While both turned away, bleating like sheep

وَلا تَعتَبِر كَثرَةَ القائِلين

فَهُم حُمُرٌ ما لَها مِن أُكاف

Consider not the number of those claiming

They are but donkeys without any reins

يناقِضُ بعضُهُم بَعضَهُم

فَقولُهُم لَم يَزل ذا اِختِلاف

Some contradicting others’ very words

Discourse from them was never the same

وَلَو أَنعَموا فكرَهُم أَنصَفُوا

وَكانَ مَقالُهُم ذا اِئتِلاف

If they but focused their thoughts for a moment

Their words would meet in a choir refrain

وَإِياكَ وَالبَحثَ مَع مُبتَدٍ

بليدٍ يَقولُ بِغَيرِ اِنتِصاف

Beware discussing with one barely cognizant

Who speaks without a sense of restraint