هو العِلمُ لم يُدرَك بغيرِ تَعَلُّمِ

ودونَ اجتهادٍ لا يكون التَّعلُّمُ

Knowledge cannot be attained without learning

And without striving, there is no learning

فقد قيلَ إن العِلمَ يُعطيكَ بَعضَهُ

إذا اعطَيتَه كُلا ولِلعَكسِ تَعلَمُ

It's said that knowledge gives you some of it

If you give it all, and vice versa you will know

مِنَ المَهدِ حتى اللَّحدِ كُن له طالِباًُ

كما جاء عمَّن عَلَّمُوا وتَعلَّموا

From the cradle to the grave, seek it

As it came from those who taught and learned

وكلُّ فتًى لم يَعتكف طولَ عُمرِه

على طَلبٍ لِلعلمِ لا شَكَّ يُحرَمُ

And every young man who does not devote

His lifetime to seeking knowledge, no doubt will be deprived

ومن لم يُكرِّس وقتَهُ وحياتَهُ

له مِن صِبا عُمرٍ إلى حينَ يَهرَمًُ

And he who does not dedicate his time and life

To it from his youth until he becomes old

فليس بهِ يَحظى ولا هو ظافِرٌ

بِعِلمٍ فَأخذُ العِلمِ من ذَاكَ أعظَمُ

Will have no luck with it, nor will he obtain

Knowledge, so seeking knowledge is greatest

وإنِّي أرَى النَشءَ الجديدَ ونَهجَهُ

على عَكسِ هذا وهو ما لستُ أَفهمُ

And I see the new generation and its approach

Is the opposite of this, which I do not understand

فهل أنا فيما قلتُ يا شيخُ مُخطِىءٌ

أوانِي على حقٍّ فأنتَ المُحَكَّمُ

Am I wrong in what I said, O Sheikh

Or am I right, so you are the judge