وَلَا حَكِيمَ إِلَّا ذُو تَجْرِبَةٍ
Translation: And there is no wise person except one who has experience.
Source: Ahmad and al-Tirmidhi
Key vocabulary: حَكِيمَ — wise; ذُو تَجْرِبَةٍ — one possessing experience.
Brief grammar: وَلَا حَكِيمَ إِلَّا combines negation and exception. ذُو تَجْرِبَةٍ is a possessive construction; حَكِيم describes a person of sound judgment.
Wisdom is more than collecting facts: it means using sound knowledge appropriately in real situations. Experience can come through examining one’s actions, taking advice, and reflecting on the results of events.