بِأَرضِin the land of الجيزَةِGiza اِجتازَpassed through الغَمامُthe clouds
بِأَرضِ الجيزَةِ اِجتازَ الغَمامُ
وَحَلَّand alighted in سَماءَهاits sky البَدرُthe full moon التَمامُin its fullness
وَحَلَّ سَماءَها البَدرُ التَمامُ
Clouds passed over the land of Giza,
The clouds passed over the land of Giza,
And the moon in its fullness alighted in its sky.
And its sky was graced by the full moon.
وَزارَand visited رِياضَthe gardens of إِسماعيلَIsmail غَيثٌrain
وَزارَ رِياضَ إِسماعيلَ غَيثٌ
كَوالِدِهِlike his father لَهُto him belong المِنَنُthe benefactions الجِسامُmighty
كَوالِدِهِ لَهُ المِنَنُ الجِسامُ
And rain visited Ismail's gardens,
Abundant rain visited the gardens of Ismail,
Like his father, his benefactions are mighty.
Bestowed like a generous father.
ثَنىbent عِطفَيهِماtheir two flanks الهَرَمانِthe two pyramids تيهاًproudly
ثَنى عِطفَيهِما الهَرَمانِ تيهاً
وَقالَand said الثالِثُthe third الأَدنىthe lower one سَلامُpeace
وَقالَ الثالِثُ الأَدنى سَلامُ
The two pyramids bent their flanks in pride,
The two pyramids bowed their shoulders,
And the third, the lower one, said, "Peace!"
And the smaller third one bid peace.
حَلُمّيcome forth مَنفُMemphis هَذاthis تاجُthe crown of خوفوKhufu
حَلُمّي مَنفُ هَذا تاجُ خوفو
كَقُرصِlike the disk of الشَمسِthe sun يَعرِفُهُknows it الأَنامُmankind
كَقُرصِ الشَمسِ يَعرِفُهُ الأَنامُ
Come forth, Memphis: this is Khufu's crown,
My dream, this crown of Khufu
Like the sun's disk, known to all mankind.
Is known to all like the sun disk.
نَمَتهُraised it مِنfrom among بَنيthe sons of فِرعَونَPharaoh هامٌheads
نَمَتهُ مِن بَني فِرعَونَ هامٌ
وَمِنand from among خُلَفاءِthe successors of إِسماعيلَIsmail هامُheads
وَمِن خُلَفاءِ إِسماعيلَ هامُ
Heads among Pharaoh's sons raised it,
It was erected by the determined descendants of Pharaoh,
And heads among Ismail's successors.
And by the caliphs, descendants of Ismail.
تَأَلَّقَshone فيin سَمائِكِyour sky عَبقَرِيّاًpeerlessly splendid
تَأَلَّقَ في سَمائِكِ عَبقَرِيّاً
عَلَيهِupon it جَلالَةٌmajesty وَلَهُand it has وِسامُa badge of honor
عَلَيهِ جَلالَةٌ وَلَهُ وِسامُ
It shone in your sky, peerlessly splendid,
It shone brilliantly in your sky,
Majesty rests upon it, and it bears a badge of honor.
Bearing majesty and decorations.
تَرَعرَعَتِgrew الحَضارَةُcivilization فيin حُلاهُits adornments
تَرَعرَعَتِ الحَضارَةُ في حُلاهُ
وَشَبَّand came of age عَلىupon جَواهِرِهِits jewels النِظامُorder
وَشَبَّ عَلى جَواهِرِهِ النِظامُ
Civilization grew within its adornments,
Civilization flourished in its shadows,
And order came of age upon its jewels.
And governance grew on its gems.
وَنالَand attained الفَنُّart فيin أُولىthe earliest of اللَياليthe nights
وَنالَ الفَنُّ في أُولى اللَيالي
وَأُخراهُنَّand the last of them عِزّاًglory لاnot يُرامُto be reached
وَأُخراهُنَّ عِزّاً لا يُرامُ
And art attained, in the earliest nights
Art attained glory in its first nights,
And the last of them, a glory beyond reach.
As well as its last, untouchable might.
مَشىwalked فيin جيزَةِGiza of الفُسطاطِFustat ظِلٌّa shade
مَشى في جيزَةِ الفُسطاطِ ظِلٌّ
كَظِلِّlike the shade of النيلِthe Nile بُلَّwas quenched بِهِby it الأُوامُthirst
كَظِلِّ النيلِ بُلَّ بِهِ الأُوامُ
A shade walked through the Giza of Fustat,
A shadow walked in the Fustat of Giza
Like the Nile's shade, by which thirst was quenched.
Like the shadow of the Nile, flooded by waves.
إِذاwhen ماan emphatic particle مَسَّtouched تُرباًsoil عادَbecame مِسكاًmusk
إِذا ما مَسَّ تُرباً عادَ مِسكاً
وَنافَسَand rivaled تَحتَهُbeneath it الذَهَبَgold الرَغامُdust
وَنافَسَ تَحتَهُ الذَهَبَ الرَغامُ
Whenever it touched soil, that soil became musk,
Whenever it touched soil, musk emanated,
And beneath it dust rivaled gold.
Competing with scattered gold nuggets.
وَإِنand if هُوَit حَلَّsettled in أَرضاًa land قامَarose فيهاin it
وَإِن هُوَ حَلَّ أَرضاً قامَ فيها
جِدارٌa wall لِلحَضارَةِfor civilization أَوor دِعامُa pillar
جِدارٌ لِلحَضارَةِ أَو دِعامُ
And if it settled in a land, there rose within it
If it landed anywhere, a wall rose for civilization,
A wall for civilization, or a pillar.
Or a pillar for its support.
فَمَدرَسَةٌso a school لِحَربِto fight الجَهلِignorance تُبنىis built
فَمَدرَسَةٌ لِحَربِ الجَهلِ تُبنى
وَمُستَشفىand a hospital يُذادُis warded off بِهِthrough it السَقامُsickness
وَمُستَشفى يُذادُ بِهِ السَقامُ
So a school is built to wage war on ignorance,
A school was built to fight ignorance,
And a hospital through which sickness is driven away,
A hospital was founded to cure the sick.
وَدارٌand a house يُستَغاثُhelp is sought بِهاfrom it فَيَمضيso go forth
وَدارٌ يُستَغاثُ بِها فَيَمضي
إِلىto الإِسعافِrescue أَنجادٌvaliant men كِرامُnoble
إِلى الإِسعافِ أَنجادٌ كِرامُ
And a house where help is sought, from which go forth
A place to seek help so caravans set out,
To the rescue, valiant and noble men:
Of generous people, to provide aid.
أُساةُhealers of جِراحَةٍwounds حيناًat times وَحيناًand at times
أُساةُ جِراحَةٍ حيناً وَحيناً
مَيازيبٌwater spouts إِذاwhen اِنفَجَرَerupts الضِرامُthe blaze
مَيازيبٌ إِذا اِنفَجَرَ الضِرامُ
Healers of wounds at times, and at times
Sometimes a surgery to stitch wounds,
Water spouts when the blaze erupts.
Sometimes conduits, should veins burst.
وَأَحواضٌand basins يُراضُis tamed النيلُthe Nile فيهاin them
وَأَحواضٌ يُراضُ النيلُ فيها
وَكُلُّand every نَجيبَةٍthoroughbred mount وَلَهاand it has لِجامُa bridle
وَكُلُّ نَجيبَةٍ وَلَها لِجامُ
And basins where the Nile is tamed,
Basins where the Nile floods joyfully,
And every thoroughbred has its bridle.
Each noble stream with its canal.
أَباO father of الفاروقِFarouk أَقبَلناwe have come صُفوفاًin ranks
أَبا الفاروقِ أَقبَلنا صُفوفاً
وَأَنتَand you مِنَamong الصُفوفِthe ranks هُوَhe الإِمامُthe imam
وَأَنتَ مِنَ الصُفوفِ هُوَ الإِمامُ
O father of Farouk, we have come in ranks,
Abu Al-Farouk, we came in rows before you,
And you are the imam among the ranks.
And you were the imam leading the rows.
إِلىtoward البَيتِthe House الحَرامِthe Sacred بِكَthrough you اِتَّجَهناwe turned
إِلى البَيتِ الحَرامِ بِكَ اِتَّجَهنا
وَمِصرُand Egypt وَحَقَّهاand by her right البَيتُthe House الحَرامُthe Sacred
وَمِصرُ وَحَقَّها البَيتُ الحَرامُ
Through you we turned toward the Sacred House,
To the Sacred House, we set out before you,
And Egypt, in her own right, is the Sacred House.
And Egypt has rights to that Sacred House.
طَلَعتَyou rose عَلىover الصَعيدِUpper Egypt فَهَشَّso it rejoiced حَتّىuntil
طَلَعتَ عَلى الصَعيدِ فَهَشَّ حَتّى
عَلاrose upon شَفَتَيthe two lips of أَبيfather of الهَولُthe Terror اِبتِسامُa smile
عَلا شَفَتَي أَبي الهَولُ اِبتِسامُ
You rose over Upper Egypt, and it rejoiced until
You appeared on the plateau, so the smile
A smile rose upon the Sphinx's lips.
Widened on the lips of the Sphinx.
ركابٌa cavalcade سارَتِtraveled الآمالُhopes فيهِin it
ركابٌ سارَتِ الآمالُ فيهِ
وَطافَand circled بِهِaround it التَلَفُّتُthe turning of heads وَالزِحامُand the throng
وَطافَ بِهِ التَلَفُّتُ وَالزِحامُ
A cavalcade in which hopes journeyed,
A procession in which hopes paraded,
And turning heads and pressing crowds surrounded it.
Accompanied by attention and crowds.
فَماذاso how many فيalong طَريقِكَyour path مِنof كُفورٍvillages
فَماذا في طَريقِكَ مِن كُفورٍ
أَجَلُّgrander مِنَthan البُيوتِthe houses بِهاin them الرِجامُthe stone-marked graves
أَجَلُّ مِنَ البُيوتِ بِها الرِجامُ
How many villages lie along your path,
So what ingratitude awaits on your path,
Where the grave-stones are grander than the houses!
More glorious than houses adorned with battlements?
كَأَنَّas though الراقِدينَthose sleeping بِكُلِّin every قاعٍhollow
كَأَنَّ الراقِدينَ بِكُلِّ قاعٍ
هُمُthey الأَيقاظُthe wakeful وَاليَقظىand the waking النِيامُthe sleepers
هُمُ الأَيقاظُ وَاليَقظى النِيامُ
As though the sleepers in every hollow
It is as if those asleep in every place
Were awake, and the waking were asleep.
Are the awake, while the awake are dozing.
لَقَدindeed أَزَمَafflicted الزَمانُtime الناسَthe people فَاِنظُرso look
لَقَد أَزَمَ الزَمانُ الناسَ فَاِنظُر
فَعِندَكَfor with you تُفرَجُare eased الإِزَمُthe hardships العِظامُgreat
فَعِندَكَ تُفرَجُ الإِزَمُ العِظامُ
Indeed, time has afflicted the people; look,
Hard times have worn out people, so look,
For at your hands the great hardships are eased.
For in you unfolds relief for great sorrows.
وَبَعدَand after غَدٍtomorrow يُفارِقُdeparts عامُa year of بُؤسٍmisery
وَبَعدَ غَدٍ يُفارِقُ عامُ بُؤسٍ
وَيَخلفُهُand succeeds it مِنَof النَعماءِblessings عامُa year
وَيَخلفُهُ مِنَ النَعماءِ عامُ
And the day after tomorrow, a year of misery will depart,
After tomorrow departs, a woeful year,
And a year of blessings will succeed it.
Succeeded by years of blessings!
يَدورُrevolves بِمِصرَover Egypt حالاًone state بَعدَafter حالٍanother state
يَدورُ بِمِصرَ حالاً بَعدَ حالٍ
زَمانٌtime ماnot لِحالَيهِfor its two states دَوامُpermanence
زَمانٌ ما لِحالَيهِ دَوامُ
Over Egypt rolls, from state to state,
Before Egypt will pass many uncertain states
A time whose two states have no permanence.
Without its circumstances lasting.
وَمِصرُand Egypt بِناءُthe building of جَدِّكَyour grandfather لَمnot يُتَمَّمbe completed
وَمِصرُ بِناءُ جَدِّكَ لَم يُتَمَّم
أَلَيسَis there not عَلىat يَدَيكَyour two hands لَهُfor it تَمامُcompletion
أَلَيسَ عَلى يَدَيكَ لَهُ تَمامُ
And Egypt is your grandfather's building, still unfinished;
And Egypt, your grandfather’s creation,
Is it not to be completed at your hands?
Was not finished - is it not by your hand that it will be completed?
فَلَسناfor we are not أُمَّةًa nation قَعَدَتsat idle بِشَمسٍin sunshine
فَلَسنا أُمَّةً قَعَدَت بِشَمسٍ
وَلاnor بَلَداًa country بِضاعَتُهُits merchandise الكَلامُtalk
وَلا بَلَداً بِضاعَتُهُ الكَلامُ
For we are not a nation sitting idle in the sun,
For we are not a nation sitting in sunlight,
Nor a country whose stock-in-trade is talk.
Nor a land whose wares are words.
وَلَكِنand yet هِمَّةٌresolve فيin كُلِّevery حينٍmoment
وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ في كُلِّ حينٍ
يَشُدُّstrengthens بِناءَهاits edifice المَلِكُthe king الهُمامُvaliant
يَشُدُّ بِناءَها المَلِكُ الهُمامُ
But a resolve, at every moment,
But an ambition bound in every era
Whose edifice the valiant king strengthens.
By the efforts of the steadfast king!
نَرومُwe seek الغايَةَthe goal القُصوىfurthest فَنَمضيso we press on
نَرومُ الغايَةَ القُصوى فَنَمضي
وَأَنتَand you عَلىon الطَريقِthe road هُوَhe الزِمامُthe rein
وَأَنتَ عَلى الطَريقِ هُوَ الزِمامُ
We seek the furthest goal and press onward,
We strive for the highest goal and go forth,
And you are the guiding rein along the road.
And you are the one holding the reins!
وَنَقصرُand we shorten خُطوَةًa step وَنَمُدُّand we lengthen أُخرىanother
وَنَقصرُ خُطوَةً وَنَمُدُّ أُخرى
وَتُلجِئُناand compels us المَسافَةُthe distance وَالمَرامُand the goal
وَتُلجِئُنا المَسافَةُ وَالمَرامُ
And we shorten one step and lengthen another,
We shorten one step and lengthen another,
And the distance and the goal compel us.
Compelled by the vast distance and destination.
وَنَصبرُand we endure لِلشَدائِدِin the face of hardships فيin مَقامٍa situation
وَنَصبرُ لِلشَدائِدِ في مَقامٍ
وَيَغلِبُناand overcomes us عَلىover صَبرٍpatience مَقامُa situation
وَيَغلِبُنا عَلى صَبرٍ مَقامُ
And in one situation we endure hardships,
We are patient at every stop,
While another situation overwhelms our patience.
Outlasting the stations of patience themselves.
فَقَوِّso strengthen حَضارَةَthe civilization of الماضيthe past بِأُخرىwith another
فَقَوِّ حَضارَةَ الماضي بِأُخرى
لَهاit has زَهوٌpride بِعَصرِكَin your age وَاِتِّسامُand a distinctive stamp
لَها زَهوٌ بِعَصرِكَ وَاِتِّسامُ
So strengthen the civilization of the past with another,
So strengthen the civilization of the past
Proud of your age and marked by it.
With one graced by splendor in your time!
تَرفُّflutter صَحائِفُpages of البَردِيِّpapyrus فيهاwithin it
تَرفُّ صَحائِفُ البَردِيِّ فيها
وَيَنطُقُand speaks فيin هَياكِلِهاits temples الرُخامُmarble
وَيَنطُقُ في هَياكِلِها الرُخامُ
Papyrus pages flutter within it,
Leaves of papyrus in it fluttering,
And marble speaks within its temples.
And granite temples give speech.
رَعَتكَmay it guard you وَوادِياًand a valley تَرعاهُyou guard it عَنّاon our behalf
رَعَتكَ وَوادِياً تَرعاهُ عَنّا
مِنَfrom الرَحمَنِthe All-Merciful عَينٌan eye لاnot تَنامُsleeps
مِنَ الرَحمَنِ عَينٌ لا تَنامُ
May you and the valley you guard for us be protected
We pray protection for you, and rain to irrigate the valley,
By an eye from the All-Merciful that never sleeps.
From the Merciful, a spring that never sleeps.
فَإِنfor if يَكُis تاجُthe crown of مِصرَEgypt لَهاfor her قِواماًa support
فَإِن يَكُ تاجُ مِصرَ لَها قِواماً
فَمِصرُthen Egypt لِتاجِهاfor her crown العاليlofty قِوامُa support
فَمِصرُ لِتاجِها العالي قِوامُ
For if Egypt's crown is her support,
So that the crown of Egypt may endure
Then Egypt is the support of her lofty crown.
And Egypt may be everlasting for her towering crown!
لِتَهنَأmay rejoice مِصرُEgypt وَليَهنَأand may rejoice بَنوهاher sons
لِتَهنَأ مِصرُ وَليَهنَأ بَنوها
فَبَينَfor between الرَأسِthe head وَالجِسمِand the body اِلتِئامُunion
فَبَينَ الرَأسِ وَالجِسمِ اِلتِئامُ
May Egypt rejoice, and may her sons rejoice,
That Egypt may delight, and her sons delight
For the head and body are united.
In the joining of the head with the body!
Sol 6.1