إذا كنت لا تدري وما ريت عالما

إذا كنت لا تدري وما ريت عالما

كأنّك تدري كنت بالجهل في عذر

كأنّك تدري كنت بالجهل في عذر

If you do not know, yet dispute a learned man,

If you do not know and have not seen the world

as though you knew, you would be excused on account of your ignorance.

It's as if you know, being excused for ignorance

يعد لبيبا جاهل وهو مذعن

يعد لبيبا جاهل وهو مذعن

وليس عليما مذعن وهو لا يدري

وليس عليما مذعن وهو لا يدري

An ignorant man is deemed sensible when he is deferential,

A wise man considers an ignorant one learned if he's receptive

but a deferential man is not learned when he does not know.

And not a learned one if he does not know yet is not receptive