العلم زين وَتَشريف لِصاحِبِه

فَاِصلَب هَديت فَنون العِلم وَالادبا

Knowledge is an adornment and an honor to its possessor.

So seek—may you be guided—the branches of knowledge and adab.

كَم سيد بَطل آباؤُه نَجب

كانا رُؤوساً فَأَمسى بَعدَهُم ذَنبا

How many a valiant lord had forefathers of distinction—

they were heads, yet after them he became a tail.

وَمُقرِف خامِل الآباء ذي ادب

نَل المَعالي وَالآداب وَالرُتبا

And how many a man of base birth, his forefathers obscure, endowed with adab,

attained the heights, the refinements, and lofty ranks.

لِلعِلمِ كنز وَذُخر لا تعادِله

نِعم القَرين اِذا ما عاقِل صحبا

Knowledge is a treasure and a store that nothing can equal;

excellent the companion when it accompanies a person of reason.

اضحى عَزيزاً عَزيز القَدرِ مُشتَهِراً

في كُل مَنزِلَة قد حَل مُحتَجِبا

He becomes honored, high in standing, and renowned

in every place where he alights as a stranger.

لا خير في مَن لهُ أَصل بِلا اِدب

نالَ المَعالي وَالاِموال وَالنَشبا

There is no good in one who has lineage but lacks adab,

though he attain high honors, wealth, and possessions.

يا جامِع العِلمِ نعم الذخر تجمعه

لا تعدلن بهِ دراً وَلا ذَهبا

O gatherer of knowledge, excellent is the treasure you gather!

Do not equate with it either pearls or gold.

أَشدد يَدَيك بِهِ تَحمد مغبته

بِهِ تَنالُ الغِنى وَالدينُ وَالحَسَبا

Grip it firmly with both hands; you will praise its outcome.

Through it you attain sufficiency, religion, and honorable standing.

قَد يَجمَعُ المَرءُ مالاً ثُمَّ يَلبَسَه

عَما قَليل فَيَلقى الذل وَالحَربا

A man may amass wealth and then be stripped of it

before long, and meet humiliation and destitution.

وَجامِع العِلمِ مَغبوط بهِ أَبداً

فَلا يُحاذِر مِنهُ الفوتُ وَالسَلبا

But the gatherer of knowledge is forever deemed fortunate for it

and need not fear its loss or its being taken away.