إني أفدت من استفدت علوماً

منه ولم أكُ بالأمور عليما

I have benefited from one from whom I acquired knowledge,

Yet I was not knowledgeable about matters.

فعلمت أن العلمًَ عين تعلق

إنَّ التعلقَ لا يكون قديما

So I learned that knowledge is an attribute that attaches

And attachment cannot be eternal.

بالذاتِ يعلم لا بأمرٍ زائد

إن كنتَ علاَّماً وكنتَ حليما

With his essence He knows, not with an additional matter.

If you were knowledgeable and wise,

لا تنظرنَّ العلم أمراً زائداً

فتكن جهولاً بالأمور ظَلُوما

Do not consider knowledge an additional matter,

Lest you be ignorant of matters, obscured.

لايحجبنك ما ترى من فائتٍ

فالحقُّ كلمَ عبدَّه تكليما

Let not what has passed that you see bar you.

For truth spoke to His servant conversationally.

يأتي بأمرٍ ثم ينسخُ حكمه

إتيانُ أمر محدثٍ تعليما

He brings a command, then abrogates its ruling—

The coming of a new command is instructive.

بلسانِ شخصٍ صادقٍ من رسْله

صلُّوا عليه وسلِّموا تسليما

In the tongue of a truthful messenger of His messengers—

Pray over him and greet him with peace.

قد قال في القرآنِ في مزبوره

إنَّ البلاء يولد المعلوما

He said in the Quran, in his psalter:

“Trials give birth to knowledge.”

والعلمُ يحدث من حدوثِ بلائه

وهو التعلق فافهموا التحكيما

And knowledge occurs from the occurrence of his trial.

It is the attachment, so understand the arbitration.

انظر إلى الضدّين تماثلا

حتى يقال من اللديغ سليما

Look to the two opposites’ congruity,

Until it is said of the venomous “unharmed.”