If a person does not pursue the words of Torah, they do not pursue him
If a person does not make an effort to study, the learning will not come to him. One must strive to acquire knowledge themselves; knowledge does not come to a person on its own.
("If you seek her as silver – Rabbi Shimon ben Lakish said: if a person does not pursue the words of Torah, they never pursue him. It is like a person who has merchandise; if he does not go after it, it does not go after him" – Midrash Mishlei 2:4)
Translation
Expression (Hebrew)
אִם אֵין אָדָם הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה אֵין הֵם בָּאִים אַחֲרָיו
Definition (Hebrew)
אִם אָדָם לֹא מִתְאַמֵּץ לִלְמֹד, הַלִּמּוּד לֹא יַגִּיעַ אֵלָיו. אָדָם צָרִיךְ לְהִתְאַמֵּץ לִרְכֹּשׁ יֶדַע בְּעַצְמוֹ.
("אִם תְּבַקֵּשְׁנָה כְּכֶסֶף- אָמַר ר' שִׁמְעוֹן בֶּן לָקִישׁ:אִם אֵין אָדָם הוֹלֵךְ אַחַר דִּבְרֵי תּוֹרָה הֵם אֵינָם הוֹלְכִין אַחֲרָיו לְעוֹלָם, מָשָׁל לְאָדָם שֶׁיֵּשׁ לוֹ פְּרַגְמָטִיא אִם אֵין אָדָם הוֹלֵךְ אַחֲרֶיהָ, הִיא אֵינָהּ הוֹלֶכֶת אַחֲרָיו"- מִדְרַשׁ מִשְׁלֵי ב ד)