لأَكلُsurely eating الشَعيرِbarley وَاقتناءُand acquiring المَعارِفِknowledge
لأَكلُ الشَعيرِ وَاقتناءُ المَعارِفِ
أَلذُّmore delightful مِنthan السَلوىquail وَلِبسِand wearing المَطارِفِfine cloaks
أَلذُّ مِن السَلوى وَلِبسِ المَطارِفِ
To eat barley and acquire knowledge
Surely eating barley and acquiring knowledge
is sweeter than quail and wearing sumptuous robes.
Are more delightful than quail and wearing fine cloaks.
وَإِنّيand indeed I لمُستغنِindeed self-sufficient بعلمٍthrough knowledge جَمَعتُهُI have gathered it
وَإِنّي لمُستغنِ بعلمٍ جَمَعتُهُ
وَهَيهاتَand far from it ماnot يُغنيsuffices تَليديmy inherited wealth وَطارِفيand my newly acquired wealth
وَهَيهاتَ ما يُغني تَليدي وَطارِفي
Indeed, I am self-sufficient through the knowledge I have gathered;
And I am indeed self-sufficient through knowledge I have gathered;
far from it—my inherited and newly acquired wealth cannot make me rich.
Yet my inherited and newly acquired wealth can never suffice.
