Arabic (Original)
حَدَّثَنَا عَفَّانُ حَدَّثَنَا حَمَّادٌ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ زَيْدٍ عَنْ أَوْسِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ مَثَلُ الَّذِي يَسْمَعُ الْحِكْمَةَ وَيَتَّبِعُ شَرَّ مَا يَسْمَعُ كَمَثَلِ رَجُلٍ أَتَى رَاعِيًا فَقَالَ لَهُ أَجْزِرْنِي شَاةً مِنْ غَنَمِكَ فَقَالَ اذْهَبْ فَخُذْ بِأُذُنِ خَيْرِهَا شَاةً فَذَهَبَ فَأَخَذَ بِأُذُنِ كَلْبِ الْغَنَمِ.
English Translation
'Affan narrated to us, Hammad narrated to us, from 'Ali ibn Zayd, from Aws ibn Khalid, from Abu Hurayrah who said: The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "The parable of one who hears wisdom but follows the worst of what he hears is like a man who came to a shepherd and said: 'Give me a sheep from your flock.' He said: 'Go and take the best one by its ear.' So he went and took the ear of the sheepdog."