A Pearl of Wisdom from Ibn Ḥāmid

Ibn Ḥāmid wrote regarding seeking knowledge and documenting fawāʾid:

فإذا أردت قراءة في مدرس…فاحمل دواتك حين تذهب والقلم

وازدد مطالعة وحسن كل لفظ…واتخذ رأس العبارة مختتم

واستصحبن لنسختين فنسخة…لك أنت والأخرى لشيخك تلتزم

وإذا مررت بغلطة فاحرص على…إصلاحها واجل الحروف من السقم

When you intend to read with a teacher…carry your ink pot when you go along with a pen,

Increase in muṭālaʿah and master every word…continue reviewing every passage from its beginning to its end,

Remain in the ṣuḥbah of two copies (of the book)…one is yours and the other is your teacher’s,

When you come across a mistake, be diligent…rectify it and annotate the passage where it’s needed.