أَيُّها الكاتِبُ المُصَوِّرُ صَوِّر

أَيُّها الكاتِبُ المُصَوِّرُ صَوِّر

مِصرَ بِالمَنظَرِ الأَنيقِ الخَليقِ

مِصرَ بِالمَنظَرِ الأَنيقِ الخَليقِ

O writer-painter, portray

O painter who depicts, portray

Egypt in a scene both elegant and befitting.

Egypt with a delicate, graceful scene

إِنَّ مِصراً رِوايَةُ الدَهرِ فَاِقرَأ

إِنَّ مِصراً رِوايَةُ الدَهرِ فَاِقرَأ

عِبرَةَ الدَهرِ في الكِتابِ العَتيقِ

عِبرَةَ الدَهرِ في الكِتابِ العَتيقِ

Indeed, Egypt is the tale of time; so read

Indeed Egypt is the tale of time so read

time's lesson in the ancient book.

The moral of time in the ancient book

مَلعَبُ مَثَّلَ القَضاءُ عَلَيهِ

مَلعَبُ مَثَّلَ القَضاءُ عَلَيهِ

في صِبا الدَهرِ آيَةَ الصِدّيقِ

في صِبا الدَهرِ آيَةَ الصِدّيقِ

A stage on which Fate enacted,

It was toyed with by destiny in

in time's youth, the miracle of Joseph the Truthful,

The youth of time, a sign of the truthful one

وَاِمِّحاءَ الكَليمِ آنَسَ ناراً

وَاِمِّحاءَ الكَليمِ آنَسَ ناراً

وَاِلتِجاءَ البَتولِ في وَقتِ ضيقِ

وَاِلتِجاءَ البَتولِ في وَقتِ ضيقِ

and the effacement of Moses, who perceived a fire,

And the wink of the devoted one found fire

and the Virgin Mary's seeking refuge in a time of distress,

And the refuge of the virgin in time of distress

وَمَنايا مِنّا فَكِسرى فَذي القَر

وَمَنايا مِنّا فَكِسرى فَذي القَر

نَينِ فَالقَيصَرَينِ فَالفاروقِ

نَينِ فَالقَيصَرَينِ فَالفاروقِ

and the deaths of Mina, then Khosrow, then Dhu al-Qar-

And our death knells so Chosroes, he of the throne

nayn, then the two Caesars, then al-Faruq.

The two Caesars, and the Farooq

دُوَلٌ لَم تَبِد وَلَكِن تَوارَت

دُوَلٌ لَم تَبِد وَلَكِن تَوارَت

خَلفَ سِترٍ مِنَ الزَمانِ رَقيقِ

خَلفَ سِترٍ مِنَ الزَمانِ رَقيقِ

Dynasties did not perish, but hid themselves

States that did not appear but were concealed

behind a thin veil of time.

Behind a thin veil of time

رَوضَتي اِزَّيَّنَت وَأَبدَت حُلاها

رَوضَتي اِزَّيَّنَت وَأَبدَت حُلاها

حينَ قالوا رِكابُكُم في الطَريقِ

حينَ قالوا رِكابُكُم في الطَريقِ

My garden adorned herself and displayed her ornaments

My garden adorned itself and displayed its beauty

when they said, 'Your mounts are on the road.'

When they said your steeds are on the road

مِثلَ عَذراءَ مِن عَجائِزِ روما

مِثلَ عَذراءَ مِن عَجائِزِ روما

بَشَّروها بِزَورَةِ البَطريقِ

بَشَّروها بِزَورَةِ البَطريقِ

Like a maiden among Rome's old women,

Like a virgin of the old women of Rome

whom they gladdened with news of the patriarch's visit.

They gave her tidings of the Patriarch's visit

ضَحِكُ الماءِ وَالأَقاحي عَلَيها

ضَحِكُ الماءِ وَالأَقاحي عَلَيها

قابَلَتهُ الغُصونُ بِالتَصفيقِ

قابَلَتهُ الغُصونُ بِالتَصفيقِ

The laughter of the water and the daisies upon her—

The laughter of water and apples upon it

the branches greeted it with applause.

The branches reciprocated with applause

زُرنَها وَالرَبيعُ فَصلاً فَخَفَّت

زُرنَها وَالرَبيعُ فَصلاً فَخَفَّت

نَحوَ رَكبَيكُما خُفوفَ المَشوقِ

نَحوَ رَكبَيكُما خُفوفَ المَشوقِ

They visited her with spring as the season, and she hastened

Adorn it and spring a season so it swooned

toward your two caravans, with the haste of one who yearns.

Toward your two steeds light with yearning

فَاِنزِلا في عُيونِ نَرجِسِها الغَضِّ

فَاِنزِلا في عُيونِ نَرجِسِها الغَضِّ

صِياناً وَفَوقَ خَدِّ الشَقيقِ

صِياناً وَفَوقَ خَدِّ الشَقيقِ

So alight, you two, in the eyes of her tender narcissus,

So descend in its narcissus eyes' protection

for safekeeping, and upon the anemone's cheek.

Chastely and above the cheek of the sweet.