Wisdom, Piece 3

Iraqi style
English

Wisdom, Piece 3

Two kinds of people wear themselves out for nothing and labor without gain: the one who piles up wealth but never uses it, and the one who gathers knowledge but never acts on it. No matter how much learning you read, if you don't act on it, you're still ignorant. He is neither a scholar nor a wise man, just a beast of burden loaded with a few books. What does that empty-headed creature know or care whether it carries firewood or a notebook?
Explanation: The image of a pack animal carrying books captures someone who holds knowledge without understanding or using it.

Original · Persian

حکمت شمارهٔ ۳

دو کس رنج بیهوده بردند و سعی بی‌فایده کردند: یکی آن که اندوخت و نخورد و دیگر آن که آموخت و نکرد.
علم چندان که بیشتر خوانی چون عمل در تو نیست نادانی
نه محقّق بود نه دانشمند چارپایی بر او کتابی چند
آن تهی‌مغز را چه علم و خبر که بر او هیزم است یا دفتر