هو العِلمُ لم يُدرَك بغيرِ تَعَلُّمِ

هو العِلمُ لم يُدرَك بغيرِ تَعَلُّمِ

ودونَ اجتهادٍ لا يكون التَّعلُّمُ

ودونَ اجتهادٍ لا يكون التَّعلُّمُ

Knowledge is not attained without learning.

Knowledge cannot be attained without learning

And without diligent effort, learning cannot take place.

And without striving, there is no learning

فقد قيلَ إن العِلمَ يُعطيكَ بَعضَهُ

فقد قيلَ إن العِلمَ يُعطيكَ بَعضَهُ

إذا اعطَيتَه كُلا ولِلعَكسِ تَعلَمُ

إذا اعطَيتَه كُلا ولِلعَكسِ تَعلَمُ

For it has been said that knowledge gives you part of itself

It's said that knowledge gives you some of it

if you give it your all—and you know the converse.

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

مِنَ المَهدِ حتى اللَّحدِ كُن له طالِباًُ

مِنَ المَهدِ حتى اللَّحدِ كُن له طالِباًُ

كما جاء عمَّن عَلَّمُوا وتَعلَّموا

كما جاء عمَّن عَلَّمُوا وتَعلَّموا

From the cradle to the grave, be a seeker of it,

From the cradle to the grave, seek it

as has come down from those who taught and learned.

As it came from those who taught and learned

وكلُّ فتًى لم يَعتكف طولَ عُمرِه

وكلُّ فتًى لم يَعتكف طولَ عُمرِه

على طَلبٍ لِلعلمِ لا شَكَّ يُحرَمُ

على طَلبٍ لِلعلمِ لا شَكَّ يُحرَمُ

And every young man who does not devote himself throughout his life

And every young man who does not devote

to seeking knowledge is, without doubt, denied it.

His lifetime to seeking knowledge, no doubt will be deprived

ومن لم يُكرِّس وقتَهُ وحياتَهُ

ومن لم يُكرِّس وقتَهُ وحياتَهُ

له مِن صِبا عُمرٍ إلى حينَ يَهرَمًُ

له مِن صِبا عُمرٍ إلى حينَ يَهرَمًُ

And whoever does not dedicate his time and his life

And he who does not dedicate his time and life

to it, from his early youth until he grows old,

To it from his youth until he becomes old

فليس بهِ يَحظى ولا هو ظافِرٌ

فليس بهِ يَحظى ولا هو ظافِرٌ

بِعِلمٍ فَأخذُ العِلمِ من ذَاكَ أعظَمُ

بِعِلمٍ فَأخذُ العِلمِ من ذَاكَ أعظَمُ

does not attain it, nor is he successful

Will have no luck with it, nor will he obtain

in gaining knowledge; for acquiring knowledge is greater than that.

Knowledge, so seeking knowledge is greatest

وإنِّي أرَى النَشءَ الجديدَ ونَهجَهُ

وإنِّي أرَى النَشءَ الجديدَ ونَهجَهُ

على عَكسِ هذا وهو ما لستُ أَفهمُ

على عَكسِ هذا وهو ما لستُ أَفهمُ

And indeed I see the new generation and its way

And I see the new generation and its approach

running counter to this, which I do not understand.

Is the opposite of this, which I do not understand

فهل أنا فيما قلتُ يا شيخُ مُخطِىءٌ

فهل أنا فيما قلتُ يا شيخُ مُخطِىءٌ

أوانِي على حقٍّ فأنتَ المُحَكَّمُ

أوانِي على حقٍّ فأنتَ المُحَكَّمُ

So am I mistaken in what I have said, O sheikh?

Am I wrong in what I said, O Sheikh

Or am I right? For you are the arbiter.

Or am I right, so you are the judge