Advanced Arabic reading

The Wise Man and the Student in Arabic

الحكيم والتلميذ

The Wise Man and the Student is a Advanced-level Arabic reading text about a proud student learning humility and the value of listening. Its fully vocalized Arabic helps learners read each word accurately, while the sentence-by-sentence English translation supports understanding. The story also includes optional Arabic audio, useful vocabulary, comprehension practice and a focused language point. It works well for independent reading, a short classroom lesson or shared practice with a parent.

Read the Arabic story with English translation

Read each Arabic sentence from right to left. Use the speaker button to hear the sentence, then check its English meaning underneath.

جَاءَ شَابٌّ إِلَى حَكِيمٍ مَشْهُورٍ، وَقَالَ لَهُ: «أُرِيدُ أَنْ أَتَعَلَّمَ مِنْكَ.»

A young man came to a famous wise man and said, “I want to learn from you.”

كَانَ الشَّابُّ يَتَحَدَّثُ كَثِيرًا عَنْ مَعْرِفَتِهِ، وَلَا يَتْرُكُ لِلْحَكِيمِ فُرْصَةً لِلْكَلَامِ.

The young man spoke a great deal about his knowledge and gave the wise man no chance to speak.

اِبْتَسَمَ الْحَكِيمُ، وَطَلَبَ مِنْهُ أَنْ يُحْضِرَ كُوبًا وَإِبْرِيقًا مِنَ الشَّايِ.

The wise man smiled and asked him to bring a cup and a pot of tea.

مَلَأَ الْحَكِيمُ الْكُوبَ، ثُمَّ وَاصَلَ صَبَّ الشَّايِ حَتَّى فَاضَ عَلَى الْمَائِدَةِ.

The wise man filled the cup and continued pouring until the tea overflowed onto the table.

صَاحَ الشَّابُّ: «تَوَقَّفْ! الْكُوبُ مُمْتَلِئٌ، وَلَا يَسَعُهُ الْمَزِيدُ.»

The young man cried, “Stop! The cup is full and cannot hold any more.”

قَالَ الْحَكِيمُ بِهُدُوءٍ: «عَقْلُكَ مِثْلُ هَذَا الْكُوبِ؛ مُمْتَلِئٌ بِالْآرَاءِ، فَكَيْفَ يَسَعُ مَعْرِفَةً جَدِيدَةً؟»

The wise man calmly said, “Your mind is like this cup—full of opinions. How can it hold new knowledge?”

صَمَتَ الشَّابُّ، وَأَدْرَكَ أَنَّ الرَّغْبَةَ فِي التَّعَلُّمِ تَحْتَاجُ إِلَى التَّوَاضُعِ وَحُسْنِ الِاسْتِمَاعِ.

The young man fell silent and realized that learning requires humility and careful listening.

عَادَ إِلَى بَيْتِهِ، وَبَدَأَ يَقْرَأُ وَيَسْأَلُ وَيَسْتَمِعُ دُونَ أَنْ يَتَكَبَّرَ.

He returned home and began to read, ask questions, and listen without acting arrogantly.

وَبَعْدَ شَهْرٍ، رَجَعَ إِلَى الْحَكِيمِ وَقَالَ: «هَذِهِ الْمَرَّةَ جِئْتُ لِأَسْتَمِعَ قَبْلَ أَنْ أَتَكَلَّمَ.»

A month later, he returned and said, “This time I have come to listen before I speak.”

رَحَّبَ بِهِ الْحَكِيمُ، وَبَدَآ مَعًا رِحْلَةَ الْعِلْمِ الْحَقِيقِيَّةَ.

The wise man welcomed him, and together they began the true journey of learning.

New Arabic words from the story

These words all appear in the story. Listen, repeat and find each one in the text above.

حَكِيمٌ Wise man
فُرْصَةٌ Opportunity
إِبْرِيقٌ Pot / jug
فَاضَ Overflowed
يَسَعُ Can hold
الْآرَاءُ Opinions
التَّوَاضُعُ Humility
يَتَكَبَّرُ Acts arrogantly

Reading comprehension questions

Choose one answer for each question. Your score updates after every first attempt.

Score: 0 / 5

1. لِمَاذَا وَاصَلَ الْحَكِيمُ صَبَّ الشَّايِ؟

2. بِمَاذَا شَبَّهَ الْحَكِيمُ عَقْلَ الشَّابِّ؟

3. مَاذَا تَعَلَّمَ الشَّابُّ؟

4. مَاذَا فَعَلَ الشَّابُّ فِي بَيْتِهِ بَعْدَ الدَّرْسِ؟

5. مَاذَا قَالَ الشَّابُّ عِنْدَمَا عَادَ بَعْدَ شَهْرٍ؟

Learn Arabic from this story

A nominal sentence can describe a state without “is”

صَاحَ الشَّابُّ: «تَوَقَّفْ! الْكُوبُ مُمْتَلِئٌ، وَلَا يَسَعُهُ الْمَزِيدُ.»

The young man cried, “Stop! The cup is full and cannot hold any more.”

الْكُوبُ مُمْتَلِئٌ literally says “the cup full.” Arabic does not need a present-tense word for “is” here.

Another example: الْكِتَابُ مُفِيدٌ. — The book is useful.

For parents and teachers

Read the story in sections and discuss the ideas connected with learning, humility and nominal sentences. Ask the learner to summarize each section, explain character motives or causes, support inferences with evidence from the Arabic, answer the comprehension questions, and finish with a short written or creative response.

Questions about The Wise Man and the Student

What level is The Wise Man and the Student?

The Wise Man and the Student is marked Advanced. The full tashkīl, English translation and sentence audio provide extra support for developing readers.

What can learners practise in The Wise Man and the Student?

Learners practise connected reading, listening, comprehension and vocabulary related to learning, humility and nominal sentences.

How should this Arabic story be used?

Read one sentence at a time, listen to the audio, repeat the Arabic aloud, check the English only when needed, and then answer the questions from memory.

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