أَأَنثُرُ دُرّاً بَينَ سارِحَةِ البَهمِ

وَأَنظِمُ مَنثوراً لِراعِيَةِ الغَنَمِ

Shall I scatter pearls among the carefree camels

And compose prose for the shepherdess?

لَعَمري لَئِن ضُيِّعتُ في شَرِّ بَلدَةٍ

فَلَستُ مُضيعاً فيهِمُ غُرَرَ الكَلِم

By my life! Even if I am lost in an evil town

I am not lost among them, the calamities of words

لَئِن سَهَّلَ اللَهُ العَزيزُ بِلِطفِهِ

وَصادَفتُ أَهلاً لِلعُلومِ وَلِلحِكَم

If the Almighty God facilitates with His kindness

And I meet people receptive to knowledge and wisdom

بَثَثتُ مُفيداً وَاِستَفَدتُ وِدادَهُم

وَإِلّا فَمَكنونٌ لَدَيَّ وَمُكتَتِم

I will spread benefit and gain their affection

Otherwise it remains concealed with me, unuttered

وَمَن مَنَحَ الجُهّالَ عِلماً أَضاعَهُ

وَمَن مَنَعَ المُستَوجِبينَ فَقَد ظَلَم

He who grants knowledge to the ignorant wastes it

And he who denies the deserving has done wrong