Caution: Translations of Quran and Ḥadīth may lead to possible misapplications and misinterpretations. This site is intended for students of sacred knowledge that are proficient in comprehending classical Arabic and have a strong foundation in Islamic sciences. Also note that religious injunctions rely on several aspects beyond what one may glean through reading individual aḥādīth.
ahmad-zuhd:1885ʿAbdullāh from my father > al-Naḍr b. Shumayl > Baʿḍ al-Baṣriyyīn

[Machine] Malik ibn Dinar said, "Whoever seeks knowledge for himself, then a little of it is sufficient. And whoever seeks knowledge for the needs of people, then the needs of people are many."  

الزهد لأحمد:١٨٨٥حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ اللَّهِ حَدَّثَنَا أَبِي حَدَّثَنَا النَّضْرُ بْنُ شُمَيْلٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ الْبَصْرِيِّينَ قَالَ

قَالَ مَالِكُ بْنُ دِينَارٍ «مَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِنَفْسِهِ فَالْقَلِيلُ مِنْهُ يَكْفِي وَمَنْ طَلَبَ الْعِلْمَ لِحَوَائِجِ النَّاسِ فَحَوَائِجُ النَّاسِ كَثِيرَةٌ»