اليوم ضاع من الشبيبة مصطفى

فابكوا وقولوا لا سرور ولا صفا

Today the youth have lost Mustafa.

So weep and say: there is no joy and no serenity.

يا نخبة النجباء مات عميدكم

فتسربلوا ثوب الحداد مفوفا

O chosen company of noble men, your leader has died.

So clothe yourselves in a striped robe of mourning.

يا معشر النفر الألى فجعوا به

حاشا لطول العهد ينسى مصطفى

O company of men bereaved by his loss,

never shall long years make Mustafa forgotten.

يا مصر نوحى وارفى علم الأسى

قد مات من أحيا الشعور وما غفا

O Egypt, lament and raise the banner of sorrow.

He has died who awakened feeling and never slumbered.

قد مات من غرس الثبات بحكمة

فينا وأخرج شطأه فاستحصفا

He has died who wisely planted steadfastness

within us, brought forth its shoots, and made it sturdy.

قد مات من رد المكايد عزمه

وعدا على جيش العداة فأوقفا

He has died whose resolve repelled intrigues

and charged the enemy army, bringing it to a halt.

ما حاد عن سبل المعالى قصده

كلا ولا ركب الهوى متعسفا

His purpose never strayed from the paths of greatness.

No, nor did he ride upon desire recklessly.

ما كانا هيابا ولا نكسا ولا

هابت عزيمته لهول موقفا

He was neither timid nor craven, nor

did his resolve fear an ordeal, however dreadful.

ولدته مصر فأنجبت وغدا بها

كلفا وكان لعزها متشوفا

Egypt bore him, a noble son, and toward her he grew

ardently attached, yearning for her glory.

فسطا عليه الموت سطوة ضيغم

من قبل أن تجنى الثمار ويقطفا

Then death pounced upon him with a lion's onslaught,

before the fruits could be gathered and he could pluck them.

تبكيك يا رب الشهامة أمة

ما كان أشفقها عليك وأرأفا

A nation weeps for you, O master of nobility.

How tender and compassionate she was toward you!

كل بين من المصيبة قائلا

قد عاش محبوبا ومات مشرفا

Each speaks out amid the calamity, saying:

He lived beloved and died honored.

هذا هو المجد المؤثل والذي

قد كان منكورا فصار معرفا

This is firmly founded glory, and that which

was once unacknowledged has become known.

يا خير من راض البراعة كفه

وأجاد في وصف المعاني احرفا

O best of those whose hand has tamed eloquence,

and finely fashioned letters to express meanings,

وأفاد أبناء البلاد بعلمه

لما تصدى للعلوم وصنفا

and benefited the country's sons through his knowledge,

when he took up the sciences and composed works.

مصر الأسيفة بعد موتك أصبحت

ثكلى وأمست منك قاعا صفصفا

Grieving Egypt, after your death, became

bereaved; without you she has become a bare, level plain.

أدركت في وقت احتضارك حزنها

فجعلت توصى بالحقوق معرفا

At the hour of your dying, you perceived her grief,

so you began urging that her rights be honored, making them known.

تلك الشهامة ما علمنا مثلها

مذ كان جسمك للردى مستهدفا

Such nobility—we have known nothing like it,

since your body became a target for death.

يا معشر الإخوان بعد وفاته

قولوا على الدنيا وما فيها العفا

O company of brothers, after his death,

say: ‘Oblivion upon the world and all it holds!’

يا من ببطن اللحد أصبح ثاويا

وغدا بأثواب المنون ملففا

O you who now lie in the depths of the grave,

wrapped in the garments of death.

قد كنت في التحرير أنبه كاتب

قد كنت سيفا في الخطابة مرهفا

In writing, you were the most distinguished writer.

In oratory, you were a keen-edged sword.

قد كنت روضا في الكياسة مزهرا

قد كنت غيثا في السياسة واكفا

In discernment, you were a flowering garden.

In politics, you were pouring rain.

قد كنت في شرخ الشببة ناضرا

ما بال غصنك قد ذوى متقصفا

You were flourishing in the prime of youth.

Why has your branch withered and broken?

قد كان صوتك في الممالك داويا

إن قلت قالوا قد سمعنا الأحنفا

Your voice resounded throughout the kingdoms.

When you spoke, they said: ‘We have heard al-Ahnaf.’

هابتك أبطال السياسة والحجا

وطلبت إنصافا فقالوا أنصفا

The champions of politics and wisdom stood in awe of you.

You sought justice, and they said: ‘He has been just.’

عاهدتنا تحرير مصر وأهلها

هلا وفيت فإن شيمتك الوفا

You pledged to us the liberation of Egypt and her people.

Why did you not fulfill it, when faithfulness is your nature?

تبكيك أعواد المنابر خشعا

وعليك ذابت حسرة وتأسفا

The timbers of the pulpits weep for you, humbly bowed,

and melt over you in grief and regret.

يا أيها المنطبق مالك ساكتا

حتى متى هذا السكوت أما كفى

O eloquent one, why are you silent?

How long will this silence last? Has it not been enough?

قم وارق منبرك الذي عودته

حسن الخطابة فالنفوس على شفا

Rise and ascend your pulpit, which you accustomed to

fine oratory, for souls stand on the brink.

واصدع بأمرك يا همام فكلنا

مرضى وأنت لنا من المرض الشفا

Proclaim your cause, O valiant one, for all of us

are sick, and you are our cure from sickness.

يا بدر تم قد هوى من أفقه

ما آن أن يمحى ضياك ويخسفا

O full moon fallen from its horizon,

the time had not come for your light to fade or for you to be eclipsed.

أسئمت فينا يا همام إقامة

أم شمت منا في المعاشرة الجفا

Did you weary of dwelling among us, O valiant one?

Or did you sense coldness from us in our companionship?

أم تداتتك من المثابر دعوة

لتقيم معوجا وترجع من هفا

Or did a summons reach you from the abodes of death,

to set the crooked straight and bring back those who strayed?

أم شافهم منك الحديث فجئتهم

لتقوم فيهم واعظا متلطفا

Or did they yearn for your speech, so you came to them,

to stand among them as a gentle preacher?

أم روحك اشتقات إلى ملأ العلا

فدخلت فيه باحثا مستكشفا

Or did your spirit long for the company on high,

and you entered it, searching and exploring?

إن كانت هذا ما تريد فوافنا

وارجع فحدثنا فقد برح الخفا

If this was what you wished, then come to us,

and return to tell us, for what was hidden has come to light.

يا قوم مهلا أنصتوا فكأنني

بالجانب الشرقي أسمع هاتفا

People, wait! Listen—it seems to me

that from the eastern side I hear a voice calling.

قد قال يا قوم اهدءا واسترجعوا

كل يموت فلا هروب ولا اختفا

It said: ‘People, be calm; say, “To God we belong and to Him we return.”

Everyone dies; there is no escape and no hiding.

فثقوا بمولاكم ولا تتفرقوا

إن التفرق كم أذل واضعفا

Trust in your Lord, and do not split apart.

How often division has humiliated and weakened!

وابنوا على ما قد بنيت وشيدوا

فالقطر يصبح إذ بنيتم مترفا

Build on what I have built, and raise it high.

The country will flourish when you have built.

قد كنت فردا واحدا فحججت من

في الحكم جار على البلاد وأجحفا

I was but one lone man, yet I defeated in argument those

who ruled unjustly over the country and wronged it.

واليوم كلكم رجال فافتقوا

أثرى وجدوا فالهمام من اقتفى

Today you are all men, so follow

my footsteps and strive: the valiant man is he who follows.

إن مات منكم مصطفى فجميعكم

من بعد موتى يا أفاضف مصطفى

If Mustafa has died from among you, then all of you,

after my death, O worthy men, are Mustafa.

واستعملوا يا آل حزبى حزمكم

فالحزم كم جمع القلوب وألفا

Use your resolve, O members of my party.

How often resolve has united hearts and bound them together!

واستمسكوا بالعروة الوثقى وفوا

بالعهد إن العهد يسأل بالوفا

Hold fast to the firmest handhold, and remain true

to the covenant, for a covenant calls for faithfulness.’

فاسترجعت نفسي وقلت لقبره

من بعد ما نثر الحديث وشنفا

Then I regained my composure and said to his grave,

after it had poured forth words and delighted the ears:

يا قبر خبرني بحقك واشفني

أكرمت مثواه وقمت بالاحتفا

‘O grave, tell me, by your sanctity, and heal me:

have you honored his resting place and welcomed him with care?’

فأجابني هو في النعيم ممتع

وقد ارتقى قصر الهناء مزخرفا

It answered me: ‘He enjoys bliss,

and has ascended a richly adorned palace of happiness.

والحور والولدان قامت حوله

كل يسائله الرضا مستعطفا

And houris and youths stand around him,

each imploring his favor, seeking his kindness.

بالباقيات الصالحات لقد أتى

فجزاه مولاه النعيم وأنحفا

He came bearing enduring righteous deeds,

so his Lord rewarded him with bliss and bestowed gifts upon him.’

فحمدت عقبى أمره ومقامه

ودعوتع ربى أن يديم له الصفا

Then I praised the outcome of his life and his abode,

and prayed to my Lord to grant him lasting serenity.

وزجرت دمعى ثم قلت لرفقتي

هذا النعيم هو المقيم فقد كفى

I restrained my tears, then said to my companions:

‘This bliss is everlasting; it is enough.’