العِلمُ زَينٌ فَكُن لِلعِلمِ مُكتَسِباً

العِلمُ زَينٌ فَكُن لِلعِلمِ مُكتَسِباً

وَكُن لَهُ طالِباً ما عِشتَ مُقتَبِسا

وَكُن لَهُ طالِباً ما عِشتَ مُقتَبِسا

Knowledge is an adornment, so be one who acquires it.

Knowledge is an ornament, so strive to acquire it,

And seek it as long as you live, drawing from it.

And be a seeker of it as long as you live, gathering its light.

أركِن إِلَيهِ وَثِق بِاللَهِ وَاَغنِ بِهِ

أركِن إِلَيهِ وَثِق بِاللَهِ وَاَغنِ بِهِ

وَكُن حَليماً رَزينَ العَقلِ مُحتَرِسا

وَكُن حَليماً رَزينَ العَقلِ مُحتَرِسا

Rely on it, trust in God, and find sufficiency through it.

Rely upon it, trust in God, and find within it sufficiency,

And be forbearing, steady of mind, and watchful.

And be forbearing, sober of mind, and ever vigilant.

لا تَأثَمَنَّ فَإِمّا كُنتَ مُنهَمِكاً

لا تَأثَمَنَّ فَإِمّا كُنتَ مُنهَمِكاً

في العِلمِ يَوماً وَإِمّا كُنتَ مُنغَمِسا

في العِلمِ يَوماً وَإِمّا كُنتَ مُنغَمِسا

Never commit sin, whether you are engrossed

Do not fall into sin; be rather either engrossed

In knowledge one day or deeply immersed in it.

In knowledge by day, or fully immersed therein.

وَكُن فَتىً ماسِكاً مَحَضَ التُّقى وَرِعاً

وَكُن فَتىً ماسِكاً مَحَضَ التُّقى وَرِعاً

لَلدّينِ مُغتَنِماً لِلعِلمِ مُفتَرِسا

لَلدّينِ مُغتَنِماً لِلعِلمِ مُفتَرِسا

And be a youth holding fast to pure piety, devout,

Be a youth who clings to pure piety and devotion,

Seizing faith as a gain and pouncing upon knowledge.

Seizing gains for faith, and ravenous for knowledge.

فَمَن تَخلَّقَ بِالآدابِ ظَلَّ بِها

فَمَن تَخلَّقَ بِالآدابِ ظَلَّ بِها

رَئيسَ قَومٍ إِذا ما فارَقَ الرُؤَسا

رَئيسَ قَومٍ إِذا ما فارَقَ الرُؤَسا

For whoever cultivates good manners remains, through them,

For he who clothes himself in refinement remains, through it,

A leader of a people when he parts from the chiefs.

A leader of people, even when parted from the chiefs.

وَاَعلَم هُديتَ العِلمَ خَيرٌ صَفا

وَاَعلَم هُديتَ العِلمَ خَيرٌ صَفا

أَضحى لِطالِبِهِ مِن فَضلِهِ سَلِسا

أَضحى لِطالِبِهِ مِن فَضلِهِ سَلِسا

And know—may you be guided—that knowledge is pure goodness;

And know—may you be guided—that knowledge is the purest good,

It has become easy for its seeker through its bounty.

Becoming yielding to its seeker through its abounding grace.