كن كاتما للضر والبؤسى تنلْ

قصدا وتعلُ الجيل يامتعلمُ

Be forbearing of harm and adversity

Keep your hardship and misery concealed, and you shall attain

To gain your goal, instruct the generation, O learned one

Your purpose, and rise above your generation, O learner.

لا تكثر الشكوى وكن متجلدا

حتى يظن الناس أنك منعمُ

Do not excessively complain, be patient

Do not complain often, and remain steadfastly resilient,

So people think you are well off

So that people may think you live in absolute comfort.

فالعلم لا يعطى لمن يخشى طوى

بل ربنا عبدا صبورا يلهمُ

Knowledge is not given to one who fears folding

For knowledge is never granted to one who fears starvation;

Rather our Lord inspires the patient servant

Rather, our Lord inspires the truly patient servant.

داوم على درس العلوم مطالعا

ياويح طمس للطوى يتجمجمُ

Persevere in studying science

Persist in the study of the sciences, reading constantly;

Woe to one who erases folds and wrinkles

Woe to the blind-hearted who mumbles complaints of hunger.

لا تشتغل بالرزق إذ رب الورى

متكفل رزق الذي يتعلمُ

Do not busy yourself with livelihood, for the Lord

Do not be preoccupied with your livelihood, for the Lord of creation

Takes charge of the livelihood of the one who learns

Is the guarantor of provision for the one who seeks knowledge.

واخش الإله لدينه متحافظا

إذ لا ينال العلم عاص مجرمُ

And fear God for His religion, being careful

And fear God, acting as a guardian of His religion,

Since the disobedient criminal attains no knowledge

Since knowledge is never attained by a sinning transgressor.

ناء الكواعب والغواني اعتزل

إن تدن منها من ردى لا تسلمُ

Avoid the alluring singers and beautiful ladies

Distance yourself from fair maidens, and shun the company of beauties;

If you go near them you will not be safe from ruin

If you draw near to them, you will never be safe from ruin.

لا تشتر الدنيا بأخرى يا فتى

من باع نورا بالدجى فسيندمُ

Do not exchange this life for the next, O youth

Do not purchase this world at the price of the Hereafter, O youth;

One who sells light for darkness will regret

For whoever trades light for darkness will surely face regret.