خذ العلم عن قرب ونكّب عن البعدِ

ففي القرب أشياء تدل على الرشد

Seek knowledge from up close, turn away from distance,

For in closeness are things that guide to righteousness.

خذ الحجر المنبوذ في الطرق والثرى

وصيّره ماء تستريح من الكدّ

Take the discarded stone on roads and land,

And make it water, to rest from toil.

لها جريان بارك الله فيهما

إذا اجتمعا صارا على هيئة الزبدِ

It has two flows, may God bless them,

When together, they take the form of foam.

وثالثها فرد وإن جلّ ذكره

ولا بد للاثنين من ذلك الفردِ

And the third is singular, though lofty is its mention,

The two cannot be without that one.

ولا بد من حلّ وعقد كلاهما

وكل الذي ترجوه في الحلّ والعقدِ

Dissolving and binding are needed for both,

And all that you hope for in dissolving and binding.

فهذا وعهد الله جملة سرنا

حكيناه للأخ المقيم على العهدِ

This, by God's covenant, is the essence of our secret,

We have told it to the brother who keeps his vow.