Ibn Yamin (1286 – 1367), also known as Amir Fakhr al-Din Mahmud, was born in Turkistan and trained in the art of poetry by his father who he later succeeded as the court-poet in Khurasan. His original works were destroyed when he was taken captive during a war that broke out in 1342, and although he did his best to recover what he could of it from memory and the note-books of friends, most of it was lost. The “second period” of his poetry was quite different from the first, consisting of more didactic pieces.
Quotes by Ibn Yamin…
He who knows not,
And knows not that he knows not,
Is a fool — shun him.
He who knows not,
And knows that he knows not,
Is a child — teach him.
He who knows,
And knows not that he knows,
Is asleep — wake him.
He who knows,
And knows that he knows,
Is wise — follow him.
