1. كتابي توجه وجهة الساحة الكبرى

    وكبر اذا وافيت واجتنب الكبرا

    My letter, set out toward the great courtyard,

    and proclaim God's greatness when you arrive, shunning pride.

  2. وقف خاضعاً واستوهب الاذن والتمس

    قبولا وقبل سدّة الباب لي عشرا

    Stand humbly, beg permission, and seek

    acceptance; kiss the gate's threshold ten times for me.

  3. وبلغ لدى الباب الخديويّ حاجة

    لذي أمل يرجو له البشر والبشرى

    At the Khedival gate, convey the need

    of a hopeful man longing for a cheerful welcome and glad tidings.

  4. لدى باب سمح الراحتين مؤمّل

    صفوح عن الزلات يلتمس العذرا

    At the gate of a generous-handed lord in whom hope is placed,

    who forgives missteps and seeks excuses for them:

  5. كريم تودّ السحب فيض بنانه

    إذا أرسلت أنواء وابلها غُزرا

    a generous man whose fingertips' bounty the clouds covet

    when rain-bearing stars send down their torrents in abundance.

  6. ويستصبح البدر التمام بوجهه

    فيلحظ عين الشمس من بعد مشزرا

    The full moon draws its light from his face,

    then afterward eyes the sun's orb askance.

  7. ويخجل ضوء الصبح وضاح رأيه

    اذا ما ادلهمّ الخطب في خُطّة نَكرا

    His judgment's radiance puts dawn's light to shame

    when calamity darkens in a dreadful plight.

  8. تنوء الجبال الراسيات بحلمه

    اذا طاش ذو جهل لدى غيظه قهرا

    The firmly rooted mountains stagger beneath his forbearance

    when a fool loses control, overpowered by his anger.

  9. عزيز أعز اللَه آية ملكه

    بتوفيقه حتى أقام به الأمرا

    A mighty lord: God has exalted the emblem of his kingship

    by granting him success, until He established order through him.

  10. يراقب رحمن السموات قلبه

    فيرحم من في الأرض رفقاً بهم طرّا

    His heart is mindful of the Merciful Lord of the heavens,

    so he shows mercy to all on earth, treating them gently.

  11. مليكي ومولاي العزيز وسيدي

    ومن أرتجى آلاء معروفه العمرا

    My sovereign, my mighty patron, and my master,

    and you whose kindly favors I hope for throughout my life:

  12. لئن كان أقوام عليّ تقولوا

    بأمر فقد جاؤا بما زورا نُكرا

    if some people have fabricated claims against me,

    then what they have brought is monstrous falsehood.

  13. وان سعاة السوء أنزل فيهم

    علينا إله العرش في ذكره ذكرا

    And concerning the bearers of malice, there was sent down

    to us by the Lord of the Throne a warning in His revelation.

  14. وعلمنا أن نستبين مقالهم

    ونأخذ منهم في مساعيهم الحذرا

    And He taught us to ascertain the truth of their words

    and to exercise caution toward them in their pursuits.

  15. وسامهم وسم الفسوق لحكمة

    قضى حكمها للهُجر من قولهم هجرا

    And He branded them with the mark of wickedness, for a wisdom

    whose judgment decreed that their foul speech be shunned.

  16. حلفت بما بين الحطيم وزمزم

    وبالباب والميزاب والكعبة الغرّا

    I swear by what lies between al-Hatim and Zamzam,

    by the door, the waterspout, and the radiant Kaaba,

  17. وبالروضة القدسية السدّة التي

    أجلّ لها الرحمن في ملكه قدرا

    and by the Rawda, with its sacred threshold, which

    the Merciful has honored with exalted rank in His dominion;

  18. وبالزائريها يرتجون مليكهم

    لما فرّطوا في العمد والخطأ الغفرا

    and by its visitors, hoping from their Sovereign

    for forgiveness for their failings, deliberate or mistaken;

  19. وبالصلوات الخمس يرجى ثوابها

    وبالصوم يوليه الحفيّ به الشهرا

    and by the five prayers, whose reward is hoped for,

    and by fasting, to which its devoted observer gives the month:

  20. لما كان لي في الشرّ باع ولا يد

    ولا كنت من يبغي مدى عمره الشرا

    I have had neither reach nor hand in evil,

    nor have I been one who seeks evil throughout his life.

  21. ولا رمت إلا الصفو والعفو والولا

    بجهدي لا أمرا أحاوله إمرا

    I have sought only harmony, pardon, and loyalty

    with all my strength, never pursuing a grievous deed.

  22. ولكنّ محتوم المقادير قد جرى

    بما اللَه في أمّ الكتاب له أجرى

    Yet the inescapable decree of fate has unfolded

    as God ordained for it in the Mother of the Book.

  23. وفي علم مولاي الكريم خلائقي

    قديماً وحسبي علمه شاهداً برا

    My character is known to my noble patron

    from long ago; his knowledge suffices me as an upright witness.

  24. أتذكر يا مولاي حين تقول لي

    واني لأرجو أن ستنفعني الذكرى

    Do you remember, my patron, when you said to me—

    and I indeed hope that recollection will benefit me—

  25. أراك تروم النفع للناس فطرة

    لديك ولا تبغي لذي نسمه ضرا

    'I see you seek people's welfare by an instinct

    within you, and wish harm to no living soul'?

  26. فذلك دأبي منذ كنت ولم أزل

    كذاك ورب البيت يا سيدي أدرى

    That has been my practice since I came into being, and I remain

    so; the Lord of the House, my master, knows best.

  27. فإن كنت قد أثرت ما قال قائل

    ففي عفوك المرجوّ ما يمحق الوزرا

    If I have brought about what someone has alleged,

    then your hoped-for pardon can wipe away the burden of sin.

  28. فعفواً أبا العباس لازلت قادراً

    على الأمر إن العفو من قادر أحرى

    So grant pardon, Abu al-Abbas; may you ever have power

    over affairs, for pardon is more fitting from one with power.

  29. ملكت فأسجح وامنح العفو تبتغي

    زكاة لما أولاك ربك أو شكرا

    You hold dominion: be lenient and grant pardon, seeking

    purification for what your Lord bestowed on you, or thanksgiving.

  30. وهبني من تقبيل يمناك راحة

    تمنيتها أرجو بها اليمن واليسرا

    And grant me the comfort of kissing your right hand,

    which I have longed for, hoping through it for blessing and ease.

  31. وحسبي ما قد مر من ضنك أشهر

    تجرّعت فيها الصبر أطعمه مرا

    And enough for me is the hardship of the months already passed,

    in which I swallowed patience, tasting it bitter.

  32. يعادل منها الشهر في الطول حقبة

    ويعدل منها اليوم في طوله شهرا

    A month of them equals an age in length,

    and a day of them, in its length, equals a month.

  33. أيجمل في دين المروءة أنني

    أكابد في أيامك البؤس والعسرا

    Does the code of honor deem it fitting that I

    endure misery and hardship in your days,

  34. وأحرم من تقبيل كفك بعدما

    ترامت بي الآمال مستأنساً برّا

    and be denied the kiss of your hand, after

    my hopes have carried me far, seeking comfort in kindness?

  35. ولي فيك آمال ضميني بنحجها

    وفاؤك لا أرجو سواك لها ذخرا

    I have hopes in you; my guarantee of their fulfillment

    is your faithfulness; I seek no resource for them but you.

  36. وقد مرّ لي فوق الثلاثين حجة

    بخدمة هذا الملك لم الها صبرا

    And more than thirty years have passed for me

    serving this realm, never idle, steadfast.

  37. أرى الصدق فرضاً والعفاف عزيمة

    ونصح الورى ديناً وغشهمو كفرا

    I regard truthfulness as a duty and integrity as a firm resolve,

    sincere counsel to mankind as religion, and deceiving them as unbelief.

  38. وجاوزتها لالي عقار يفيدني

    كفافا ولا في الكف قد أبتغي وفرا

    And I have passed those years with no estate to provide me

    a bare living, nor any surplus in hand I might wish for.

  39. ولو شئت كانت لي زروع وأنعم

    ومال به الآمال أقتادها قسرا

    And had I wished, I could have had crops and bounties,

    and wealth with which I could drive my hopes along by force.

  40. ولكنها نفس فدتك أبية

    تعاف الدنايا أن تمرّ بها مرّا

    But mine is a proud soul—may it ransom you—

    that recoils from base deeds even passing by it.

  41. فمن فقد ألفيت موضع منة

    وربك لا ينسى لذي منة أجرا

    So bestow favor, for you have found a place for kindness;

    and your Lord does not forget the reward of one who grants a favor.

  42. فلا زلت مأمولاً مرجى مهنأ

    بما ترتجيه العام والشهر والدهرا

    May you ever be the object of hope and expectation, and be congratulated

    on what you hope for, through the year, the month, and all time.