احفَظْ ولا تَنْسَ فإنْ لم تَكُنْ

تَحفظُ فازْدَدْ رغبةً في الطَّلَبْ

Remember and do not forget, for if you do not remember

Then increase your desire for seeking knowledge

فالطالبُ الأَبْلهُ مَعْ ما به

أفضلُ من ذي فِطْنٍة م طَلَب

For an ignorant seeker, despite his ignorance

Is better than one with intelligence who does not seek

كم ناظر ضَلَّ بلا دُرْبَةٍ

فدَلَّه الأعمى الذي قد دَرِب

How many observers went astray without experience

Yet a blind man guided them, for he was well-versed

وذي ذكاءٍ غرَّه فهمُه

فقَصَّرت همتُه في الدَّأَب

One with intelligence was deluded by his understanding

His ambition in striving was thus diminished

مُتَّكِلا أنَّ له فِطْنةً

تُنِيله العلمَ متى ما طَلَب

Relying on his intelligence to attain knowledge

Whenever he chooses to seek

وغَرَّه التَّسْوِيفُ حتى غَدا

ما فيه من فَضْلٍ لنقصٍ سَبَب

And he was deluded by procrastination until he became

Devoid of merit, for the cause of deficiency