دنت الديار ودانت الأوطار

هذا المنار وهذه الأنوار

The homelands drew near, and desires were fulfilled.

Here is the beacon, and here are the lights.

هذا المنار يلوح نجم هداية

للناظرين تؤمّه الأنظار

This beacon gleams, a star of guidance

for those who look; every gaze turns toward it.

والثغر وضاح المباسم باسم

للبشر في قسماته آثار

And the port is smiling, radiant in its smiles;

traces of gladness show in its features.

فرح ببشرنا ببشر سروره

ان الخديو له به استقرار

Joyful at our gladness, with the cheer of its delight

that the Khedive has taken up residence there.

فاليوم نلثم من بنان يمينه

سحباء وارد فضهن غزار

Today, then, we kiss from the fingertips of his right hand

rainclouds whose outpouring comes in abundance.

من كف فياض اليدين يمينه

يمن ويسراه ندى ويسار

From the palm of one bountiful in both hands: his right hand

is blessing, and his left is dewlike bounty and prosperity.

ونشنف الأسماع من ألفاظه

دراغدت أصدافه الأفكار

And we bejewel our hearing with his words—

pearls for which thoughts have become oyster shells.

ونرى منار الحق فوق جبينه

كالشمس ليس وراءها أستار

And we see truth's beacon upon his brow,

like the sun, with no veils concealing it.

نور تلألأ في جبين موفق

للحق في توفيقه أسرار

A light sparkles on the brow of one granted success;

truth has mysteries in the success granted him.

مولاي قد سرنا بأمرك نبتغي

لرضاك ما تسمو به الأقدار

My lord, we traveled at your command, seeking

to please you, that which raises one's standing.

نصل المغارب بالمشارق والسرى

بالسير لا ملل ولا إقصار

We join western lands to eastern lands, and night journeys

to onward travel, without weariness or slackening.

ونَلُفَّ أذيال الأباطح بالرُّبى

تنتابنا الأنجاد والاغوار

And we wrap the hems of gravelly valleys around the hills;

highlands and lowlands come upon us in turn.

لا البحر ذو الأمواج نخشى بأسه

يوماً وليس البر فيه نُضار

We do not fear the might of the wave-filled sea

on any day; nor is there pure gold in the land.

البحر بر في رضاك بمن به

والبر من جدوى نداك بحار

The sea is land, through your favor, for those upon it,

and land, through the benefit of your dewlike bounty, becomes seas.

ومدى النهار صباح خير كله

بسعود جدّك والدجى أسحار

The whole span of day is a morning of goodness,

through your blessed fortune, and darkness is all predawn light.

نطوي البلاد بطيب ذكرك نشره

عبق ونفحة ريحه معطار

We traverse the lands with the perfume of your remembrance, whose scent

is sweet, and whose wafting breath is richly fragrant.

ونؤرّج الأرجاء باسمك مدحة

طابت بها الأسحار والاسمار

And we perfume every quarter with your name in a song of praise,

which sweetens predawn hours and evening conversations.

يهتز حاضرها بحسن سماعها

طرباً ويخبر غائباً حضار

Those present sway at the beauty of hearing it,

in rapture, and those present tell those absent.

ويروح سامعها يميل بعطفه

ثملا كأن دارت عليه عُقار

And its listener goes away swaying his body,

drunk, as though wine had been passed round to him.

نغشى بها صدر النَديّ ندية

يحلو بها الإيراد والاصدار

With it, dew-fresh, we approach the head of the gathering;

it sweetens both coming and going.

نتلو مديحك معلنين بنشره

جهر أفلا كتم ولا إسرار

We recite your praises, openly spreading them,

aloud, with neither concealment nor secrecy.

لا يعتري فحواه وصمة ريبة

تخشى ولا ردّ ولا استنكار

Its meaning is touched by no taint of doubt

to be feared, nor by rejection or disapproval.

ثم امتطينا للسويد ركائباً

لا الركض يجهدها ولا التسيار

Then we mounted steeds bound for Sweden,

which neither galloping nor travel could weary.

تسعى على عجل إلى غاياتها

كالماء ساعر جريه تيار

They hasten toward their destinations,

like water whose flow is a raging torrent.

سرع الخطا لا السوط حل بجلدها

يوماً ولا شدّت بها أكوار

Swift of step, no whip ever touched their hides

on any day, nor were saddle frames strapped upon them.

نذر الرياح اذا جرين وراءها

حسرى طلائح جريهن عثار

We leave the winds, when they race behind them,

exhausted and spent, stumbling in their course.

سرنا بهن على العشيّ فأصبحت

في استكهلم وقد بدا الاسفار

We traveled on them at evening, and by morning they were

in Stockholm, as daylight began to show.

ولقيت صاحب تاجها في قصره

والوفد ثم بصحبتي نظار

And I met the wearer of its crown in his palace,

with the delegation there beside me, looking on.

فدنا وصافح باليمين مردّدا

شكر الخديو يزينه التكرار

He drew near and shook hands with his right, repeating

thanks to the Khedive, repetition lending them grace.

فشرعت مقتصد أجاوبه بما

أرضاه لأقلُّ ولا إكثار

Then I began, measured in speech, to answer him with what

pleased him—neither too little nor too much.

ونحوت مؤتمر العلوم أؤمه

بالوفد تهوى نحونا الأبصار

And I headed for the congress of sciences, making for it

with the delegation, as eyes turned eagerly toward us.

حتى إذا احتفل النديّ وأقبل ال

عظماء والعلماء والأحبار

Until, when the assembly had gathered and there came the

dignitaries, scholars, and learned sages,

وتلا به أسكار رب سريره

قولا به لذوي النهى إسكار

and Oscar, lord of his throne, delivered there

a speech that intoxicated men of understanding,

وأجابه الخطباء كل محسن

يزرى بنظم الدرّ منه نثار

and the orators answered him, each eloquent,

his scattered words putting strings of pearls to shame,

ودعيت باسمي للمقال موفياً

حق الوفادة والوفاء شعار

and I was called by name to speak, fulfilling

the duty of delegation, with fidelity my watchword,

أقبلت أبتدر القريض يزينه

مولاي باسمك بهجة ووقار

I came forward, hastening to verse, adorned

my lord, by your name with splendor and dignity,

حتى استتمّ الشعر فاصطفقت له الأيدي

وذاك بمدحه إشعار

until the poem was complete, and hands applauded it,

a sign of their praise for it.

وتشعبت شعب الفصول مقررا

في كل فصل للفنون قرار

The sections branched into divisions, with a place assigned

within each section for the disciplines.

فنحوت بالوفد الذين بصحبتي

خير الفصول وصحبتي أخيار

So I led the delegation accompanying me toward

the best sections; my companions were the finest of men.

ما فيهم وهل الفؤاد يهوله

حفل ولا واهي القوى خوّار

None among them was fainthearted, frightened by

a gathering, nor weak of strength or craven.

كل أعد من المعارض ما اصطفى

للعرض ثمة جملة تختار

Each prepared from the exhibits what he had selected

for presentation there—a collection carefully chosen.

وأجاد فيما قد أفاد بمنطق

طوع المراد أمدّه استحضار

And each excelled in what he conveyed, with speech

obedient to his intent, sustained by ready recollection.

في لهجة العرب الفصيحة لفظهم

حرّ وهم في نفسهم أحرار

In the Arabs' eloquent tongue, their wording was

pure, while they themselves were free.

لا في مقالة قائلينا وقفة

عرضت ولا لمقولنا انكار

No pause in our speakers' addresses

intervened, nor was there denial of our words.

كالقطر جاد به غمام مبرق

داني الهيادب عارض مدرار

Like rain generously poured by a lightning-lit cloud,

its trailing fringes hanging low, a raincloud pouring freely,

نبدي الذي نبدي وكل مطرق

سمعاً ومنطق ذي المقال جهار

we said what we would, while everyone bowed his head

to listen, and the speaker's voice rang aloud,

حتى نتم كما نشاء القول في

أمد أعدّ لوقته مقدار

until we finished speaking as we wished, within

a span whose duration had been allotted.

فيقول صاحبهم أما من باحث

فيما يقول وقوله استفسار

Then their chairman would ask, 'Is there anyone to inquire

into what he says?'—his words a request for clarification.

وتصفق الحضار لاستحسان ما

قلنا ويظهر فيهم استبشار

And those present applaud, approving what

we have said, and delight appears among them.

ها هم رجالك أيها المولى ولا

من عليك ونعم من تختار

Here are your men, my lord, with no

claim of favor upon you; excellent are those you choose!

لا أبتغي مدحاً لنفسي أنني

بعلاك أفخر لاعداك فخار

I seek no praise for myself; indeed,

I glory in your greatness—may glory never pass you by.

هذي محاسن بمن طالعك الذي

بسعوده قد ساعد المقدار

These virtues come through the grace of your rising star, which

fate has favored through its auspicious influence.

ثم انثنينا راجعين يسوقنا

لحماك أشواق لهنّ أوار

Then we turned back, returning, driven

toward your sanctuary by fiercely burning longings.

نأوى لخير حمى بعدلك كله

أمن وما للجور فيه جوار

We seek the finest sanctuary, all of it, through your justice,

safe, with no refuge there for oppression.

فاسلم لمصر وأهلها ليرى بها

لنماء غرس يمينك استثماى

So remain safe for Egypt and her people, that there may be seen

the fruit borne by the thriving planting of your right hand.

واسلم لأنجال وآل كلهم

خير وآل الخيرين خيار

And remain safe for your children and family, all

good; the family of the virtuous are the finest.

واليكها مولاي صنعة ليلة

لحق العشاء بوشيها الاسحار

Here it is for you, my lord, the work of a single night,

as predawn overtook evening in weaving its embroidery,

حتى كساها الصبح رونق وجهه

حسناً وألبسها الضياء نهار

until morning clothed it in the radiance of its face,

with beauty, and day dressed it in light.