لَعَمرُ الحَقِّ ذا قولٌ جَميلُ

لَعَمرُ الحَقِّ ذا قولٌ جَميلُ

ولكن لو يُعَزِّزُ الدَّليلُ

ولكن لو يُعَزِّزُ الدَّليلُ

By the life of Truth, this is a fine saying,

By the truth, these are beautiful words,

But if only proof would support it!

But they would be stronger with evidence.

كثيرُ العِلمِ في زَمَنٍقَليلٍ

كثيرُ العِلمِ في زَمَنٍقَليلٍ

لِمُستَملِيهِ هذا مُستَحيلُ

لِمُستَملِيهِ هذا مُستَحيلُ

A wealth of knowledge in a short time—

To gain much knowledge in little time,

For the learner taking it down by dictation, this is impossible.

For the eager student this is impossible.

كأَنَّ العلمَ سَهلٌ ليس فيه

كأَنَّ العلمَ سَهلٌ ليس فيه

عَويصٌ فيه قد حارت عُقولُ

عَويصٌ فيه قد حارت عُقولُ

As though knowledge were easy and contained no

As if knowledge is easy with no obstacles,

Knotty problem over which minds have been bewildered.

Over which minds are perplexed.

وكم لِمُؤَلَّفٍ لَفظٌ وجِيزٌ

وكم لِمُؤَلَّفٍ لَفظٌ وجِيزٌ

ومعناهُ له شَرحٌ يَطولُ

ومعناهُ له شَرحٌ يَطولُ

And how many a written work has concise wording,

How many authors have eloquent expressions,

Yet its meaning takes a lengthy explanation.

Yet their meanings require lengthy explanations.

وكم ليلٍ تَبيتُ بدون نَومٍ

وكم ليلٍ تَبيتُ بدون نَومٍ

وفِكرُكَ في تَفَهُّمِه يَجولُ

وفِكرُكَ في تَفَهُّمِه يَجولُ

And how many a night you spend without sleep,

How many nights pass without sleep,

And your thought roams in seeking to understand it.

As your mind wanders trying to understand.

أبنَتَ تَساهُلاً في أَخذِ عِلمٍ

أبنَتَ تَساهُلاً في أَخذِ عِلمٍ

كأنَّ العِلمَ ماءٌ سَلسَبيلُ

كأنَّ العِلمَ ماءٌ سَلسَبيلُ

You have shown laxity in acquiring knowledge,

You have been complacent in gaining knowledge,

As though knowledge were water, sweet and easy to drink.

As if knowledge flows like a free-running stream.

ألا فاعلَم بأنَّ العِلمَ صَعبٌ

ألا فاعلَم بأنَّ العِلمَ صَعبٌ

ولا يَكفي له الزَّمَنُ القَليلُ

ولا يَكفي له الزَّمَنُ القَليلُ

Take heed, then: know that knowledge is difficult,

Know that knowledge is difficult,

And a short time is not enough for it.

And little time does not suffice.

وكم مِن جُملةٍ فيها وُجوهٌ

وكم مِن جُملةٍ فيها وُجوهٌ

وآراءٌ وكُلٌّ ما يَقولُ

وآراءٌ وكُلٌّ ما يَقولُ

And how many a sentence has various interpretations

How many issues have multiple facets,

And opinions, and each has his own say.

And differing opinions, each stating their own.

فمن لم يَجتَهِد فيه ويُجهِد

فمن لم يَجتَهِد فيه ويُجهِد

به نَفساً وعنه لا يَميلُ

به نَفساً وعنه لا يَميلُ

So whoever fails to strive at it and exert

Whoever does not diligently persevere,

Himself through it, without turning away from it,

And devote himself wholeheartedly without wavering,

فليسَ له على عِلمٍ حُصولٌ

فليسَ له على عِلمٍ حُصولٌ

وليس لهُ إلى عِلمٍ وصُولُ

وليس لهُ إلى عِلمٍ وصُولُ

Will acquire no knowledge,

Will have no acquisition of knowledge,

Nor will he attain knowledge.

And no access to learning.

وهذا ما رَوينا عن شُيوخٍ

وهذا ما رَوينا عن شُيوخٍ

وكلٌّ منهمُ شيخٌ جَليلُ

وكلٌّ منهمُ شيخٌ جَليلُ

And this is what we have transmitted from shaykhs,

This we have transmitted from venerable shaykhs,

And each of them is a venerable shaykh.

Each a majestic elder.

وشاهَدناه نَحنُ بِأُمِّ عَينٍ

وشاهَدناه نَحنُ بِأُمِّ عَينٍ

وما راءٍ لِمُستَمِعٍ مَثيلُ

وما راءٍ لِمُستَمِعٍ مَثيلُ

And we ourselves have witnessed it with our very own eyes,

We have witnessed it with our own eyes,

And one who sees is not like one who hears.

Unparalleled for any listener.