الدَّهرُ فِيهِ صُرُوفٌ

مَتبُوعَةٌ بِصُرُوفِ

Time brings constant change,

Followed by more change.

فَكُن بِهَا عَرُوفاً

لا تُلفَ غَيرَ عَرُوفِ

So be virtuous within it,

And don't behave otherwise.

بَادِر إِلى العِلم تَأمَن

أنيَابَ كُلِّ مَخُوفِ

Seek knowledge promptly and you will be safe

From the fangs of every fearsome beast.

فَالشَّيبُ أدهَى مُنَادٍ

بِمِنبَرِ الفَودِ يُوفي

For gray hair is a herald, crying out

From the pulpit of the mouth, fulfilling its role.

فَأرذَلُ النَّاسِ طُرًّا

لَو كَانَ أنفَ أُنُوفِ

The vilest people, if they have

Aquiline noses, put on airs.

ذُو شَيبَةٍ في الزَّوَايَا

لَم يَدرِ بَينَ الحُرُوفِ

An oldster with gray patches

Cannot tell one letter from another

إِن رَآءَ خَطًّا بِرَقٍّ

بَادِى البَيَاضِ مَشُوفِ

If he sees a line of lightning—

Dazzling white—in the dark,

لَم يَدرِ مَا فِيهِ مَاذَا

إِلاَّ كَبَغلٍ زَفُوفِ

He does not know what it might be,

Save a prancing mule gone blind.