جاء الجواب فأعلنوه سلاما

جاء الجواب فأعلنوه سلاما

وأتى الرضا فتقبلوه كراما

وأتى الرضا فتقبلوه كراما

The answer has come; proclaim it as peace.

The response came, so announce it as peace,

And approval has come; receive it as noble men.

And satisfaction came, so accept it generously,

واتلوا على الأهرام ما عادت به

واتلوا على الأهرام ما عادت به

أمناء مصر تمكنوا الأهراما

أمناء مصر تمكنوا الأهراما

Recite before the pyramids what was brought back by

And recite atop the pyramids what

Egypt's trusted envoys—stand firm as the pyramids!

Egypt's trustees have enabled for the pyramids,

واسقوا ثراها الطهر دمع سروركم

واسقوا ثراها الطهر دمع سروركم

تشفوا غليلاً للثرى وأواما

تشفوا غليلاً للثرى وأواما

Water her pure soil with your tears of joy,

And water its soil with the purity of your joy,

to quench the soil's burning and parching thirst.

Quenching an anguish for the soil and its pillars,

حسمت سياستكم خصاماً كنتمُ

حسمت سياستكم خصاماً كنتمُ

فيه أعف تغاضباً وملاما

فيه أعف تغاضباً وملاما

Your diplomacy settled a dispute; you were

Your policy has settled a dispute in which you

more restrained within it in anger and reproach.

Were the most forgiving of indignation and blame,

وأتى الغريم الضخم بعد مراسه

وأتى الغريم الضخم بعد مراسه

يعطي ويأخذ موثقاً وذماما

يعطي ويأخذ موثقاً وذماما

And the mighty adversary came, after his hard contest,

And the huge adversary came after his ordeal

giving and taking a binding pledge and a guarantee.

To give and take, pledged and bound,

وجرى على حلو التجمل قادر

وجرى على حلو التجمل قادر

كم راح نسراً واغتدى ضرغاما

كم راح نسراً واغتدى ضرغاما

And a powerful man followed the sweet course of courtesy,

And he went along with graceful indulgence, able

who so often went forth an eagle at dusk, a lion at dawn.

As much as he once raged and exceeded like a dragon,

هم أحسنوا الأعذار حتى قاربت

هم أحسنوا الأعذار حتى قاربت

فضل الصفوح رعاية ومقاما

فضل الصفوح رعاية ومقاما

They offered apologies so graciously that these approached

They made the best excuses until the virtue

the forgiver's virtue in consideration and standing.

Of pardoning approached caring for and status,

واستأذنوا ليصافحوكم بينما

واستأذنوا ليصافحوكم بينما

أيدي الخطوب بغيركم تترامى

أيدي الخطوب بغيركم تترامى

And they asked leave to shake your hands, while

And they asked permission to shake your hand while

calamity's hands were striking at others.

The hands of other rivals stretched out,

وهم استزاروكم فزار دهاتكم

وهم استزاروكم فزار دهاتكم

أقرانهم بالبيّنات عظاما

أقرانهم بالبيّنات عظاما

And they invited you; your sagacious men visited

And they sought your permission, so your soul visited

their peers, formidable with clear proofs.

Their peers with clear signs, great ones,

ولربما زاروا البلاد فأمعنوا

ولربما زاروا البلاد فأمعنوا

من بعد ما زاروا البلاد لماما

من بعد ما زاروا البلاد لماما

And perhaps they will visit the lands and range far,

And perhaps they visited the countries and lingered

after having visited those lands only fleetingly.

After they visited the countries completely,

أهلاً بود الأقوياء وأنهم

أهلاً بود الأقوياء وأنهم

أضحوا بعهد الأقوياء قياما

أضحوا بعهد الأقوياء قياما

Welcome the friendship of the strong, and that they

Welcome the affection of the strong, and that they

now uphold the covenant of the strong.

Have become with the covenant of the strong, arising,

أحسنتم بدء الخطاب لهم وما

أحسنتم بدء الخطاب لهم وما

أولاكم أن تحسنوه ختاما

أولاكم أن تحسنوه ختاما

You began your address to them well; and how

You have begun the discourse to them well, and what

fitting that you should bring it to a fine close!

Would be better for you than to end it well,

شهدوا رجاء نفوسكم فتمهلوا

شهدوا رجاء نفوسكم فتمهلوا

حتى رأوه صبابة وغراما

حتى رأوه صبابة وغراما

They witnessed the hope in your souls and waited,

They witnessed the hopes of your souls, so be patient

until they saw it become ardent longing and consuming love.

Until they saw them as lucid and endearing,

ورأوكم أزكى مُنىً ومدامعاً

ورأوكم أزكى مُنىً ومدامعاً

ومنازعاً وعواطفاً وكلاما

ومنازعاً وعواطفاً وكلاما

And they found you purer in aspirations and tears,

And they saw you of the purest wishes, and shedding tears,

and in inclinations, feelings, and speech.

Competing, and feelings, and words,

وتلوا على آفاقكم ووجوهكم

وتلوا على آفاقكم ووجوهكم

هذي السطور الغرَّ والأرقاما

هذي السطور الغرَّ والأرقاما

And they read across your horizons and your faces

And they recited upon your horizons and faces

these radiant lines and markings.

These wondrous lines and prominent numbers,

ورأوا ممالأة النفوس أجل من

ورأوا ممالأة النفوس أجل من

أن يملكوا بالقوة الأجساما

أن يملكوا بالقوة الأجساما

And they deemed winning souls nobler than

And they saw the communion of souls as greater than

possessing bodies by force.

That they possess the bodies by force,

وتلمسوا بجميلهم وصنيعهم

وتلمسوا بجميلهم وصنيعهم

ما بات يعيي النار والصمصاما

ما بات يعيي النار والصمصاما

And through their kindness and good deeds they sought

And by their beauty and craft, they touched

what had come to defy fire and the keen-edged sword.

What fire and swords have failed to subdue,

وخلت ظنونٌ بين مصر وبينهم

وخلت ظنونٌ بين مصر وبينهم

كانت لها ولهم أذىً وسقاما

كانت لها ولهم أذىً وسقاما

And suspicions vanished between Egypt and them,

And there were suspicions between Egypt and them

which had brought her and them harm and sickness.

That were harmful and sickly to both,

وكفى من الخصم الغضوب الجهم أن

وكفى من الخصم الغضوب الجهم أن

يلقاكمُ متهللاً بساما

يلقاكمُ متهللاً بساما

And it suffices from a wrathful, grim adversary that

And it is enough that the angry, ignorant foe

he should meet you beaming and smiling.

Meets you cheerful and benign,

رأت البلاد اليوم وهي عزيزة

رأت البلاد اليوم وهي عزيزة

علم البلاد يفاخر الأعلاما

علم البلاد يفاخر الأعلاما

Today the country in her pride beheld

The country saw today, while esteemed,

the country's flag vying in glory with other flags.

The country's flag competing with flags,

وغدت سماؤكمُ أظلَّ وأرضكم

وغدت سماؤكمُ أظلَّ وأرضكم

أزكى وأطيب مشرباً وطعاما

أزكى وأطيب مشرباً وطعاما

And your sky became more sheltering, and your land

And your sky has shaded, and your land

more fertile, with sweeter drink and food.

Become purer, with finer water and food,

ورأى عياناً صادقاً آماله

ورأى عياناً صادقاً آماله

من كان أمس يظنها أحلاما

من كان أمس يظنها أحلاما

And he saw his hopes as true, visible reality—

And the hopeful saw his dreams sincerely

he who yesterday had thought them dreams.

Which yesterday he thought were but dreams,

عقبى حمدتم عندها طول السرى

عقبى حمدتم عندها طول السرى

وغفرتمُ من أجلها الآثاما

وغفرتمُ من أجلها الآثاما

An outcome at which you blessed the long night-journey,

You praised, for their sake, the journey however long,

and for whose sake you forgave offenses.

And forgave, for their sake, the sins,

من قبل ولسون التمسناها ولم

من قبل ولسون التمسناها ولم

نحمل إليها مدفعاً وحساما

نحمل إليها مدفعاً وحساما

We sought it before Wilson, and did not

From Wilson we sought it but did not

carry cannon or sword in its pursuit.

Bring to it cannon and swords,

ما كنت أعلم قبل ذلك أن من

ما كنت أعلم قبل ذلك أن من

عدد النجاح الصبر والآلاما

عدد النجاح الصبر والآلاما

I had not known before this that among

I did not know before that among

the resources of success were patience and pain.

The means to success were patience and pain,

الشرق والإسلام في شغل وما

الشرق والإسلام في شغل وما

نلتم يريح الشرق والإسلاما

نلتم يريح الشرق والإسلاما

The East and Islam are beset by cares, and what

The East and Islam are busy, and what

you have gained brings relief to the East and Islam.

You attained comforts the East and Islam,

هذا نصيبكمُ من الحسنى وما

هذا نصيبكمُ من الحسنى وما

أولى العراق بمثله والشاما

أولى العراق بمثله والشاما

This is your share of the good, and how

This is your share of goodness, and what

deserving Iraq and the Levant are of the same!

Iraq and Syria deserve the like,

صحّت سرائركم فما لاقيتمُ

صحّت سرائركم فما لاقيتمُ

في مطلب ريباً ولا إبهاما

في مطلب ريباً ولا إبهاما

Your inmost intentions were sound; you encountered

Your hearts rejoiced, so you did not meet

neither doubt nor ambiguity in any pursuit.

In your pursuit any doubt or confusion,

ووقفتمُ للحق موقفه فلا

ووقفتمُ للحق موقفه فلا

عنتاً رأوا منكم ولا استسلاما

عنتاً رأوا منكم ولا استسلاما

And you took the proper stand for right, and

And you stood for truth in its place, so

they saw neither obstinacy nor surrender in you.

No coercion did they see from you, nor surrender,

ورددتموه إلى ذويه بحجة

ورددتموه إلى ذويه بحجة

بيضاء لا هبة لا إنعاما

بيضاء لا هبة لا إنعاما

And you restored it to its rightful owners with an argument

And you returned it to its people with an argument

radiant—not as a gift, not as a favor.

Pure, not a gift or favor,

ووفوا بما نذروا وما وعدوكمُ

ووفوا بما نذروا وما وعدوكمُ

والكون ممتلىء دماً وضراما

والكون ممتلىء دماً وضراما

And they fulfilled what they vowed and what they promised you,

And they kept their vow, and what they promised you,

while the world was filled with blood and blazing fire.

While the world brims with blood and turmoil,

وإذا همُ أمنوكمُ أذنوا لكم

وإذا همُ أمنوكمُ أذنوا لكم

أن تصحبوا الأعراب والأعجاما

أن تصحبوا الأعراب والأعجاما

And when they trusted you, they gave you leave

And when they trusted you, they permitted you

to keep company with Arabs and non-Arabs.

To accompany the Arabs and the non-Arabs,

ولربما نجوى غريب صاحب

ولربما نجوى غريب صاحب

تنسي الفتى الأخوال والأعماما

تنسي الفتى الأخوال والأعماما

And how often the confidences of a foreign friend

And perhaps an estranged friend forgets

make a young man forget his maternal and paternal uncles!

Kith and kin and paternal uncles,

ومبشرين ومنذرين استفتحوا

ومبشرين ومنذرين استفتحوا

غلق القلوب وهذبوا الأفهاما

غلق القلوب وهذبوا الأفهاما

And, bearing glad tidings and warnings, they opened

Preaching and warning, they opened

the locks of hearts and refined understanding.

Closed hearts and refined minds,

تتلو جيوشهم عقائدهم كما

تتلو جيوشهم عقائدهم كما

يتلو الجهاد الوحي والإلهاما

يتلو الجهاد الوحي والإلهاما

Their armies follow their creeds, just as

Their armies recite their beliefs as

jihad follows revelation and inspiration.

The struggle recites inspiration and divine command,

نسجوا نظاماً للشعوب اجتاحها

نسجوا نظاماً للشعوب اجتاحها

زمناً وسنّوا للشعوب نظاما

زمناً وسنّوا للشعوب نظاما

They wove for the peoples an order that engulfed them

They wove a system for the peoples it conquered

for a time, and laid down an order for the peoples.

For a time, and established for the peoples a system,

ومضى إلى الأمد السحيق مغالياً

ومضى إلى الأمد السحيق مغالياً

من فك سلسلة وشق نظاما

من فك سلسلة وشق نظاما

And, going to extremes, he passed to the farthest limit—

And he who would break the chain and tear down the system

he who broke a chain and tore an order apart.

Went to endless time, transgressing,

لو جاهدوا في الأرض عاماً سادساً

لو جاهدوا في الأرض عاماً سادساً

لاستبدلوا غير الأنام أناما

لاستبدلوا غير الأنام أناما

Had they fought on earth for a sixth year,

Had they fought in the land a sixth year

they would have replaced humankind with another humankind.

They would have replaced the peoples with other peoples,

يا أقدر الأحرار ألسنة لدى

يا أقدر الأحرار ألسنة لدى

فصل الخطاب وخيرهم أقلاما

فصل الخطاب وخيرهم أقلاما

O freemen, mightiest in speech at

O most able of the free, eloquent tongues

decisive debate, and finest with the pen:

When discourse ends, and the best of them writers,

هذي شروطهمُ مفصلة فلا

هذي شروطهمُ مفصلة فلا

إكراهكم ملكوا ولا الإرغاما

إكراهكم ملكوا ولا الإرغاما

Here are their terms in detail; they had no

Let them rule you, nor impose upon you,

power to coerce or compel you.

Brought by Egypt's delegates, preempting

جاءت بها وكلاء مصر تواركاً

جاءت بها وكلاء مصر تواركاً

للناقدين النقض والإبراما

للناقدين النقض والإبراما

Egypt's envoys brought them, leaving

For critics, rebuttal and resolve,

critics free to reject or ratify them.

Appeasing the majority, and for whoever refuses,

للأكثرين رضاهمُ ولمن أبى

للأكثرين رضاهمُ ولمن أبى

عذر الذي طلب البعيد فهاما

عذر الذي طلب البعيد فهاما

The majority have their satisfaction; those who refuse have

The excuse of one who seeks the distant, perplexed,

the excuse of one who sought the far-off and wandered.

There must be doubters and complainants

لا بد من شاك ومن متظلّمٍ

لا بد من شاك ومن متظلّمٍ

حرصاً على ما جاء واستتماما

حرصاً على ما جاء واستتماما

There must be a complainant and one who feels wronged,

Zealous for what was brought and finalized,

eager to safeguard what has come and bring it to completion.

Whoever among you has a clear right

من كان ذا حق مبين عندكم

من كان ذا حق مبين عندكم

فضمانه أن تملكوا الأحكاما

فضمانه أن تملكوا الأحكاما

Whoever has a clear right among you

His guarantee is your grasp of judgments,

has his safeguard in your control of the law.

And if you receive a trusted covenant

وإذا تسلمتم أمانة واثق

وإذا تسلمتم أمانة واثق

كانت حراستكم لها إلزاما

كانت حراستكم لها إلزاما

And when you receive a trust from one who trusts you,

Your safeguarding it becomes obligatory,

keeping it safe becomes your binding duty.

The Nile provides for the countries, so if it flowed

والنيل موف للبلاد فلو جرى

والنيل موف للبلاد فلو جرى

في غير واديه لعاد غماما

في غير واديه لعاد غماما

And the Nile provides amply for the lands; were it to flow

Outside its course, it would return troubled,

outside its valley, it would turn to cloud.

Trust your sibling, so we do not see

وثق الشقيق من الشقيق فما يرى

وثق الشقيق من الشقيق فما يرى

عدل اشتراكهما أذى وخصاما

عدل اشتراكهما أذى وخصاما

One brother trusts the other, and so does not see

Justice in their partnership causing harm and feud,

their just sharing as injury and strife.

Do not take from it a share except your own

لا تأخذوا منه نصيب سواكمُ

لا تأخذوا منه نصيب سواكمُ

فاللّه قدر ماءه أقساما

فاللّه قدر ماءه أقساما

Do not take from it the share of others;

For God decreed its waters as allotments,

for God has apportioned its water into shares.

And if one day the desert's share changed

ولو استحال على الجديب نصيبه

ولو استحال على الجديب نصيبه

يوماً لكان على الخصيب حراما

يوماً لكان على الخصيب حراما

And if the barren land could not receive its share

The fertile one's would be forbidden,

one day, it would be forbidden to the fertile land.

The people's caution indicates you will be tomorrow

دل احتراس القوم أنكمُ غداً

دل احتراس القوم أنكمُ غداً

أوفى رضاً ووسائلاً ومراما

أوفى رضاً ووسائلاً ومراما

The people's caution shows that tomorrow you will be

More fulfilling of consent, means, and purpose,

more satisfied, better equipped, and nearer your goal.

And keeping to the covenant guarantees what

ورعاية الميثاق ضامنة لما

ورعاية الميثاق ضامنة لما

أدركتموه زيادة ودواما

أدركتموه زيادة ودواما

And observance of the covenant guarantees for what

You have attained, increase and permanence,

you have achieved both increase and permanence.

And judgment regarding people's rights, so we do not see

والحكم في حق الشعوب فما نرى

والحكم في حق الشعوب فما نرى

للحكم إلا المصلح المقداما

للحكم إلا المصلح المقداما

And rule concerns the rights of peoples, and we see

For judgment but the intrepid reformer,

none fit to rule but the bold reformer.

Honor Egypt, ally to them tomorrow,

أكرم بمصر حليفة لهم غداً

أكرم بمصر حليفة لهم غداً

ولمن تحاشى ضيمها وتحامى

ولمن تحاشى ضيمها وتحامى

How noble Egypt will be as their ally tomorrow,

And whoever shunned wronging her and scheming,

and as ally to whoever shuns and avoids wronging her!

And if peoples exchange their fruits

وإذا تبادلت الشعوب ثمارها

وإذا تبادلت الشعوب ثمارها

فعلام تقتتل الشعوب علاما

فعلام تقتتل الشعوب علاما

And when the peoples exchange their fruits,

Why should peoples battle each other, why?

then why should the peoples fight—why?

The earth is best as a place of fellowship

والأرض أولى أن تكون مرافقاً

والأرض أولى أن تكون مرافقاً

وحدائقاً للناس لا آجاما

وحدائقاً للناس لا آجاما

And the earth should rather offer places of ease

And gardens for people, not mass graves,

and gardens for people, not thickets.

You ennobled Egypt, heroes, by what

أمفخمين لمصر أبطالاً بما

أمفخمين لمصر أبطالاً بما

حملوا وما أدوا لمصر فخاما

حملوا وما أدوا لمصر فخاما

O you who extol Egypt's heroes for what

You carried and what you gave Egypt prestige,

they bore and what they rendered Egypt, men of grandeur:

Today the trusted one is rewarded, he who

اليوم يلقى أجره المصدوق من

اليوم يلقى أجره المصدوق من

صلّى لموطنه الكريم وصاما

صلّى لموطنه الكريم وصاما

Today he receives his truly promised reward—he who

Prayed for his precious homeland and fasted,

prayed and fasted for his noble homeland.

Egypt's delegation is given medal and rank

يعطى وساماً وفد مصر ورتبة

يعطى وساماً وفد مصر ورتبة

كلٌّ ويأخذ رتبة ووساما

كلٌّ ويأخذ رتبة ووساما

Egypt's delegation is given a medal and a rank;

Each takes a rank and medal,

each receives a rank and a medal.

So call to the sacred duty alone

فادعوا إلى الفرض المقدس وحده

فادعوا إلى الفرض المقدس وحده

وإن اختلفتم حوله أنغاما

وإن اختلفتم حوله أنغاما

So call people to the sacred duty alone,

Even if you disagree about it, melodies,

even if your melodies around it differ.

And take your share of the world which

وخذوا نصيبكمُ من الدنيا التي

وخذوا نصيبكمُ من الدنيا التي

أضحت أشد تنازعاً وزحاما

أضحت أشد تنازعاً وزحاما

And take your share of the world, which

Has become more contested and crowded,

has become more fiercely contested and more crowded.

And take from the days what is real,

وخذوا من الأيام ما هو واقع

وخذوا من الأيام ما هو واقع

متربصين وطالبوا الأياما

متربصين وطالبوا الأياما

And take from the days what is at hand,

Lying in wait, and demand the days,

biding your time, and press your claims upon the days.

O state returned and kingdom exalted

يا دولة عادت ومملكة علت

يا دولة عادت ومملكة علت

للدهر ما أحرزت هذا العاما

للدهر ما أحرزت هذا العاما

O state restored, and kingdom risen high,

For time what you gained this year,

what you have won this year belongs to all time.

Your crown will become ornament to crowns

سيصير للتيجان تاجك زينة

سيصير للتيجان تاجك زينة

ويصير شعبك للشعوب إماما

ويصير شعبك للشعوب إماما

Your crown will become an adornment to crowns,

And your people imams to peoples,

and your people will become a leader of peoples.

Returning with army and fleet protecting

ويعود ذا جيش وأسطول حمى

ويعود ذا جيش وأسطول حمى

يحمي السلام ويحفظ الأقواما

يحمي السلام ويحفظ الأقواما

And they will again possess an army and a fleet for defense,

Peacekeeping among nations,

guarding peace and protecting the peoples.

This is the greatest opening, glorious

هذا هو الفتح الأجل مآثراً

هذا هو الفتح الأجل مآثراً

من فتح رمسيس وإبراهاما

من فتح رمسيس وإبراهاما

This is the conquest more illustrious in its glories

Beyond the conquests of Ramses and Abraham,

than the conquests of Ramses and Ibrahim.