عادت اليوم مصر خلقا جديدا — أحمد الكاشف

عادت اليوم مصر خلقاً جديداً

لك تستقبل القران السعيدا

Today Egypt has become a new creation,

for you, welcoming the happy union.

ماجتْ الأرضُ بالجموعِ ولولا

ك عليه لم يأمنوا أن تميدا

The earth surged with crowds; were it not

for you upon it, they would have feared its swaying.

وتجلَّت فيها المدائن تختا

ل كما هزت الأغاني الغيدا

The cities shone there, strutting proudly,

as songs set graceful maidens swaying.

وكأن العبادَ جاءوا من البع

ث يلاقون في النعيم الخلودا

As though the people had come from resurrection,

to meet eternity in bliss.

بعثوا بالقلوب في سبل الرك

بِ فكانت زهوره والورودا

They sent their hearts along the procession's paths;

and these became its blossoms and roses.

وهمُ أعلنوا لسدَّتك النج

وى فكانت شعارهم والنشيدا

They voiced their confidences to your court,

and these became their watchword and their anthem.

وأقاموا فرائضَ الحبِ في الأف

قِ فكانت راياتهم والبنودا

They established the rites of love on the horizon,

and these became their banners and standards.

وتصافى الأقرانُ حولك حتى

صار هذا خِلّاً لهذا ودودا

The peers around you grew so close

that each became the other's loving friend.

وتحامى الذنوب من كان لا يخ

شى عقاباً ولا يخاف وعيدا

And sins were shunned by those who had not feared

punishment, nor dreaded threats.

وسعى البرُّ فيه والرفقُ حتى

لا نرى معسراً ولا منكودا

Benevolence and gentleness spread through it, until

we saw none in hardship or misfortune.

واحتوى الخافقين حتى حسبنا

أبدَ الدهر شهرَهُ المعدودا

It embraced both horizons, until we thought

all eternity was its numbered month.

فاقضه في القصور يمناً وإن شئ

ت فخذه إلى السماء صعودا

So spend it blessedly in palaces; and if you wish,

take it aloft, ascending to heaven.

أقبلت بالعروس حورٌ يردِّد

ن حنين القيان والتغريدا

Houris came bearing the bride, repeating

the songstresses' yearning strains and trills.

زانها الخلقُ قبلَ زين اللآلي

معصمَيها وتاجها والجيدا

Her character adorned her before pearls adorned

her two wrists, her crown, and her neck.

ملتقى النيرين يحتفل الوا

دي به في السماء والأرض عيدا

The Valley celebrates the meeting of the two luminaries,

as a feast in heaven and on earth.

أكبرت شأنه الملوكُ فجاءت

تسبقُ البرق كتبُهمْ والبريدا

Kings esteemed its grandeur, and there came

their letters, outstripping lightning and the post.

لك أهدوا وكان بين الذي أه

دوا إليك الوفود تتلو الوفودا

They offered you gifts; among what they offered

to you were delegations, one following another.

وكأني أرى الفراعين فيها

والخواقين حاضرين شهودا

And it is as though I see the pharaohs among them,

and the khagans, present as witnesses.

لست أدري للمهرجان أرى جن

دَ الحمى أم لغزوةٍ محشودا

I cannot tell: do I see the homeland's troops for the festival,

or mustered for a campaign?

جال في كل جانب منه حتى

حفز الريف واستفز الصعيدا

It roamed through every quarter of it, until

it roused the countryside and stirred Upper Egypt.

ضاق عنه المدى ولو لم تسعه

لتخطَّى حدوده والنجودا

The expanse grew too narrow for it; had you not contained it,

it would have crossed its boundaries and the highlands.

واعتلى حصنه ولو لم تَرُضْهُ

حمل النار واستثار الحديدا

It climbed its fortress; had you not tamed it,

it would have borne fire and roused iron.

يتنادى فيها هتافاً ولولا

أنه للسلام عاد رعودا

It calls out there in cheers; were it not

devoted to peace, it would have turned to thunder.

وهوَ أدَّى لك اليمين فكانت

لك منه مواثقاً وعهودا

And it swore you its oath, which became

solemn pledges and covenants from it to you.

هنَّأتك الدنيا بعرسك فخماً

وأتى العام يرقبُ المولودا

The world congratulated you on your splendid wedding,

and the year arrived, awaiting the newborn—

النجيب المشهود في عالم الغي

ب المرجَّى لمن يليه رشيدا

the noble child, beheld within the unseen realm,

hoped for as a wise guide to those he will govern.

بالبنين الأبطال بالفتية الأق

يال تحمي سلطانك المحدودا

With heroic sons, with young princes,

you defend your bounded dominion.

ومن الفتحِ أن يعود حليفاً

لك نداً من كان خصماً عنيدا

And it is a triumph that he should become an ally,

your equal—he who was a stubborn adversary.

أنت ألزمته لمصر الأمانا

ت فكانت لها عليه قيودا

You bound him to pledges for Egypt,

and these became fetters upon him in her favor.

ما له من ضمانها غير أن تد

فع عنه ما يتقي وتذودا

His only assurance from her is that you

ward off what he fears and defend him.

لم يكن ما أنلت أمَّتك الحر

رة إلا لغيره تمهيدا

What you bestowed upon your free nation

was only groundwork for something beyond it.

وإذا صحت العزائم فيها

فالمرام البعيد ليس بعيدا

And when resolve within her is sound,

the distant goal is no longer distant.

يا سريع الخطا إلى الغاية القص

وى كريماً موفَّقاً محمودا

O you who stride swiftly toward the furthest goal,

noble, granted success, and praised!

أنت أقوى وقد ملكت عنان ال

دهر من أن تسير فيه وئيدا

You are too strong, having taken the reins of time,

to travel through it slowly.

بمجيد الوسائل اعتدت والأس

باب أن تطلب المصير المجيدا

With glorious means and methods, you are accustomed

to seek a glorious destiny.

ولقد تفعل الشمائل ما لا

يفعل الجيشُ قادةً وجنودا

Indeed, noble traits can do what

an army, commanders and soldiers, cannot.

يا مُمدّ النيلين من فيض كفي

ه يجوبُ الربى ويحيي البيدا

O replenisher of the two Niles, whose palms pour forth a flood

that traverses the hills and revives the deserts.

إنما الجودُ والتقى من سجايا

ك وما أحسن التقى والجودا

Generosity and piety are among your qualities,

and how beautiful are piety and generosity!

والذي يملك الفضيلة في العا

لم أولى بالعيش فيه رغيدا

And he who possesses virtue in the world

is most deserving of a life of ease within it.

جمع الصالحين في ذاتك الل

ه وفي ملكك العظيم الوجودا

God gathered the righteous in your person,

and all existence in your mighty kingdom.

ووهبت الحياة قومك حتى

كدت تحيي آباءهم والجدودا

You bestowed life upon your people, until

you nearly revived their fathers and forefathers.

أصبحتْ بينهم وقائعَ بِيضاً

بك آمالهم وكانت وعودا

There came to be bright realities among them—

through you, their hopes, which had once been promises.

واستوت عندك الطوائف في الأم

ر فلم تبق سادة وعبيدا

The communities became equal in your eyes in this matter,

so you left neither masters nor slaves.

أنت وفقت بين أمسك واليو

م فساوى الطريف منك التليدا

You reconciled your yesterday and today,

so the new in you equaled the time-honored.

والتقت حولك النفوس فأضحى

كلُّ موفٍ لما أردت مريدا

All souls gathered around you, so that

each honored what you wished and wished it too.

واحترمت الشورى فلم تلقَ منها

لك إلا الولاء والتأييدا

You respected consultation, and found in it

nothing for you but loyalty and support.

وأطلت التجريب حتى حملت ال

عبء عن كل حامليه وحيدا

You persisted in testing until you shouldered

the burden alone, relieving all its bearers.

والوقور المكين أنت إذا هز

زَ الصبا النضرُ عطفَك الأملودا

Dignified and steadfast are you, when

fresh youth sways your supple form.

راكعٌ أنت ساجدٌ تسبق الغر

ر الميامين رُكَّعاً وسجودا

Bowing, prostrating, you outstrip the illustrious,

the blessed, in bowing and prostration.

ما تركت المحراب حتى تناول

تَ الميادين فارساً صنديدا

You had not left the prayer niche before entering

the arenas as a dauntless horseman.

آية العصر أن يصير نسوراً

وتماسيح ناسُهُ وأسودا

The marvel of the age is that its people become eagles,

and crocodiles and lions.

وترى في العباب والجو أسطو

لك للحرب والسلام عتيدا

And in the surging sea and the air, you see your fleet

ready for war and peace.

أثمرت طيبات جدك فيهم

فاستحقوا على يديك المزيدا

The good fruits of your diligence ripened among them,

so at your hands they deserved still more.

أنت أعلى من أن تلاقيَ جهلاً

للذي أنت صانعٌ أو جحودا

You are too exalted to encounter ignorance

of what you accomplish, or ingratitude.

وإذا أبطرتْ يد غير أهل

منك عادت عليه عتباً شديدا

And if a favor from you makes an unworthy man insolent,

it rebounds upon him as severe reproach.

جلَّ قدر المحبوب من كل نفس

أن يكون المنازع المحسودا

Too great is the worth of one beloved by every soul

for him to be opposed and envied.

ليس ينسى الورَّاد مختلف الأس

باب والسبل حوضك الممدودا

Those who come to drink, however varied their means

and paths, do not forget your spacious pool.

هذه نفسي الوفية للأم

مة أرسلتها إليك قصيدا

This is my soul, faithful to the nation;

I have sent it to you as a poem.

ضاء ملء الدنيا فكان لأعنا

ق الليالي قلائداً وعقودا

It shone throughout the world and became, for the necks

of the nights, necklaces and jeweled strands.

وكأني به لك اليوم قبَّل

تُ جبيناً وراحة وخدودا

And with it, it is as though today I have kissed

your brow, your palm, and your cheeks.

حسب فاروق بين دين ودنيا

أن يكون الخليفةَ الموعودا

It is enough for Farouk, between faith and worldly life,

to be the promised caliph.

إن شعباً ترعاه بالعدل والإح

سان أولى بطبعه أن يسودا

A people you care for with justice and benevolence

are, by their nature, most worthy to rule.