احفَظْ ولا تَنْسَ فإنْ لم تَكُنْ

احفَظْ ولا تَنْسَ فإنْ لم تَكُنْ

تَحفظُ فازْدَدْ رغبةً في الطَّلَبْ

تَحفظُ فازْدَدْ رغبةً في الطَّلَبْ

Memorize and do not forget; if you do not

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

memorize, grow more eager to seek knowledge.

Then increase your desire for seeking knowledge

فالطالبُ الأَبْلهُ مَعْ ما به

فالطالبُ الأَبْلهُ مَعْ ما به

أفضلُ من ذي فِطْنٍة م طَلَب

أفضلُ من ذي فِطْنٍة م طَلَب

For the foolish seeker, despite his failings,

For an ignorant seeker, despite his ignorance

is better than a clever man who has [not] sought knowledge.

Is better than one with intelligence who does not seek

كم ناظر ضَلَّ بلا دُرْبَةٍ

كم ناظر ضَلَّ بلا دُرْبَةٍ

فدَلَّه الأعمى الذي قد دَرِب

فدَلَّه الأعمى الذي قد دَرِب

How many a sighted man has lost his way without experience,

How many observers went astray without experience

then been guided by a blind man who had gained experience.

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

وذي ذكاءٍ غرَّه فهمُه

وذي ذكاءٍ غرَّه فهمُه

فقَصَّرت همتُه في الدَّأَب

فقَصَّرت همتُه في الدَّأَب

And many an intelligent man was deceived by his understanding,

One with intelligence was deluded by his understanding

so his resolve fell short in persevering,

His ambition in striving was thus diminished

مُتَّكِلا أنَّ له فِطْنةً

مُتَّكِلا أنَّ له فِطْنةً

تُنِيله العلمَ متى ما طَلَب

تُنِيله العلمَ متى ما طَلَب

relying on the acumen he possessed

Relying on his intelligence to attain knowledge

to grant him knowledge whenever he sought it.

Whenever he chooses to seek

وغَرَّه التَّسْوِيفُ حتى غَدا

وغَرَّه التَّسْوِيفُ حتى غَدا

ما فيه من فَضْلٍ لنقصٍ سَبَب

ما فيه من فَضْلٍ لنقصٍ سَبَب

And procrastination deceived him, until

And he was deluded by procrastination until he became

the merit within him became a cause of deficiency.

Devoid of merit, for the cause of deficiency