Collect as precious pearls the words of the wise and virtuous.

The line urges an ethic of attentive listening and deliberate moral cultivation: treat the sayings of the “wise and virtuous” as rare valuables, gathered patiently and kept for use. The pearl metaphor implies both scarcity and formation over time—good counsel is not merely decorative but the product of experience, reflection, and character. It also suggests discernment: one does not collect every utterance, only those worth treasuring. Read in a broadly Islamic and philosophical key often associated with Emir Abdelkader’s legacy, the quote aligns with adab (proper conduct) and the tradition of seeking beneficial knowledge, where speech is weighed for its ethical and spiritual yield rather than its novelty or force.