قُمRise فيin فَمِthe mouth of الدُنياthe world وَحَيِّand salute الأَزهَراal-Azhar
قُم في فَمِ الدُنيا وَحَيِّ الأَزهَرا
وَاِنثُرand scatter عَلىupon سَمعِthe ear of الزَمانِTime الجَوهَراjewels
وَاِنثُر عَلى سَمعِ الزَمانِ الجَوهَرا
Rise in the mouth of the world and salute al-Azhar,
and scatter jewels upon the ear of Time.
وَاِجعَلand put مَكانَin place of الدُرِّpearls إِنif فَصَّلتَهُyou string them
وَاِجعَل مَكانَ الدُرِّ إِن فَصَّلتَهُ
فيin مَدحِهِits praise خَرَزَthe beads of السَماءِheaven النَيِّراshining
في مَدحِهِ خَرَزَ السَماءِ النَيِّرا
And put in place of pearls, if you string them
in its praise, the shining beads of heaven.
وَاِذكُرهُand mention it بَعدَafter المَسجِدَينِthe Two Mosques مُعَظِّماًrevering
وَاِذكُرهُ بَعدَ المَسجِدَينِ مُعَظِّماً
لِمَساجِدِfor the mosques of اللَهِGod الثَلاثَةِthe three مُكبِراexalting
لِمَساجِدِ اللَهِ الثَلاثَةِ مُكبِرا
And name it after the Two Mosques, in reverence,
exalting the three mosques of God.
وَاِخشَعand bow humbly مَلِيّاًat length وَاِقضِand fulfill حَقَّthe due of أَئِمَّةٍimams
وَاِخشَع مَلِيّاً وَاِقضِ حَقَّ أَئِمَّةٍ
طَلَعواthey rose بِهِwithin it زُهراًas radiant stars وَماجواand surged أَبحُراas seas
طَلَعوا بِهِ زُهراً وَماجوا أَبحُرا
Bow humbly at length, and pay the due of imams
who rose within it as radiant stars and surged as seas.
كانواthey were أَجَلَّmore majestic مِنَthan المُلوكِkings جَلالَةًin majesty
كانوا أَجَلَّ مِنَ المُلوكِ جَلالَةً
وَأَعَزَّand mightier سُلطاناًin authority وَأَفخَمَand grander مَظهَراin bearing
وَأَعَزَّ سُلطاناً وَأَفخَمَ مَظهَرا
They were more majestic than kings in majesty,
mightier in authority and grander in bearing.
زَمَنُthe time of المَخاوِفِfears كانَwas فيهِin it جَنابُهُمtheir precinct
زَمَنُ المَخاوِفِ كانَ فيهِ جَنابُهُم
حَرَمَa sanctuary of الأَمانِsafety وَكانَand was ظِلُّهُمُtheir shade الذَراshelter
حَرَمَ الأَمانِ وَكانَ ظِلُّهُمُ الذَرا
In times of fear, their precinct was
a sanctuary of safety, and their shade was shelter.
مِنof كُلِّevery بَحرٍsea فيin الشَريعَةِIslamic law زاخِرٍoverflowing
مِن كُلِّ بَحرٍ في الشَريعَةِ زاخِرٍ
وَيُريكَهُand shows him to you الخُلُقُcharacter العَظيمُnoble غَضَنفَراas a lion
وَيُريكَهُ الخُلُقُ العَظيمُ غَضَنفَرا
Each one an overflowing sea of Islamic law,
and noble character reveals him to you as a lion.
لاdo not تَحذُfollow حَذوَthe example of عِصابَةٍa band مَفتونَةٍdeluded
لا تَحذُ حَذوَ عِصابَةٍ مَفتونَةٍ
يَجِدونَthey find كُلَّevery قَديمِold شَيءٍthing مُنكَراreprehensible
يَجِدونَ كُلَّ قَديمِ شَيءٍ مُنكَرا
Do not follow the example of a deluded band
who find every old thing reprehensible.
وَلَوِand if اِستَطاعواthey could فيin المَجامِعِassemblies أَنكَرواthey would disown
وَلَوِ اِستَطاعوا في المَجامِعِ أَنكَروا
مَنthose who ماتَdied مِنamong آبائِهِمtheir fathers أَوor عُمِّراlived to old age
مَن ماتَ مِن آبائِهِم أَو عُمِّرا
If they could, in public assemblies they would disown
those of their fathers who died or lived to old age.
مِنof كُلِّevery ماضٍone pressing ahead فيagainst القَديمِthe old وَهَدمِهِand its demolition
مِن كُلِّ ماضٍ في القَديمِ وَهَدمِهِ
وَإِذاbut when تَقَدَّمَhe steps forward لِلبِنايَةِto build قَصَّراhe falls short
وَإِذا تَقَدَّمَ لِلبِنايَةِ قَصَّرا
Each one pressing ahead against the old to demolish it,
yet falling short when he steps forward to build,
وَأَتىand brought الحَضارَةَcivilization بِالصِناعَةِwith industry رَثَّةًshabby
وَأَتى الحَضارَةَ بِالصِناعَةِ رَثَّةً
وَالعِلمِand learning نَزراًscant وَالبَيانِand eloquence مُثَرثِراbabbling
وَالعِلمِ نَزراً وَالبَيانِ مُثَرثِرا
and bringing civilization industry in tatters,
scant learning, and babbling rhetoric.
ياO مَعهَداًacademy أَفنىwore out القُرونَthe centuries جِدارُهُits wall
يا مَعهَداً أَفنى القُرونَ جِدارُهُ
وَطَوىand folded away اللَيالِيَthe nights رَكنُهُits cornerstone وَالأَعصُراand the ages
وَطَوى اللَيالِيَ رَكنُهُ وَالأَعصُرا
O academy whose wall has worn the centuries out,
whose cornerstone has folded away nights and ages,
وَمَشىand walked عَلىover يَبَسِthe dry land of المَشارِقِthe East نورُهُits light
وَمَشى عَلى يَبَسِ المَشارِقِ نورُهُ
وَأَضاءَand illuminated أَبيَضَthe white لُجِّهاof its deep seas وَالأَحمَراand the red
وَأَضاءَ أَبيَضَ لُجِّها وَالأَحمَرا
whose light has walked over the dry lands of the East
and lit its deep seas, the white and the red.
وَأَتىand passed الزَمانُtime عَلَيهِover it يَحميguarding سُنَّةًsacred tradition
وَأَتى الزَمانُ عَلَيهِ يَحمي سُنَّةً
وَيَذودُand defends عَنagainst harm to نُسُكٍreligious rites وَيَمنَعُand protects مَشعَراa sacred site
وَيَذودُ عَن نُسُكٍ وَيَمنَعُ مَشعَرا
Time passed over it as it guarded sacred tradition,
defended religious rites, and protected holy ground.
فيamong الفاطِمِيّينَthe Fatimids اِنتَمىtraced its origin يَنبوعُهُits wellspring
في الفاطِمِيّينَ اِنتَمى يَنبوعُهُ
عَذبَsweet الأُصولِat the roots كَجَدِّهِمlike their forefather مُتَفَجِّراgushing
عَذبَ الأُصولِ كَجَدِّهِم مُتَفَجِّرا
Its wellspring traced its origin to the Fatimids,
sweet at the roots, gushing like their forefather.
عَينٌa spring مِنَfrom الفُرقانِthe Quran فاضَoverflowed نَميرُهاits sweet water
عَينٌ مِنَ الفُرقانِ فاضَ نَميرُها
وَحياًas revelation مِنَfrom الفُصحىeloquent Arabic جَرىflowed وَتَحَدَّراand cascaded
وَحياً مِنَ الفُصحى جَرى وَتَحَدَّرا
A spring from the Quran, its sweet waters overflowed;
as revelation in eloquent Arabic, it flowed and cascaded.
ماnot ضَرَّنيharmed me أَنthat لَيسَis not أُفقُكَyour horizon مَطلَعيmy rising-place
ما ضَرَّني أَن لَيسَ أُفقُكَ مَطلَعي
وَعَلىand by كَواكِبِهِits stars تَعَلَّمتُI learned السُرىnight travel
وَعَلى كَواكِبِهِ تَعَلَّمتُ السُرى
It harmed me not that your horizon was not my rising-place,
and by its stars I learned to journey through the night.
لاno وَالَّذيby Him who وَكَلَentrusted البَيانَeloquence إِلَيكَto you لَمnot
لا وَالَّذي وَكَلَ البَيانَ إِلَيكَ لَم
أَكُI have been دونَshort of غاياتِthe highest goals of البَيانِeloquence مُقَصِّراfalling short
أَكُ دونَ غاياتِ البَيانِ مُقَصِّرا
No, by Him who entrusted eloquence to you, I have not
fallen short of eloquence's highest goals.
لَمّاwhen جَرىcame about الإِصلاحُreform قُمتَyou rose مُهَنِّئاًcongratulating
لَمّا جَرى الإِصلاحُ قُمتَ مُهَنِّئاً
بِاِسمِin the name of الحَنيفَةِthe true faith بِالمَزيدِof further increase مُبَشِّراheralding good news
بِاِسمِ الحَنيفَةِ بِالمَزيدِ مُبَشِّرا
When reform came, you rose in congratulation,
in the name of the true faith, heralding still more.
نَبَأٌnews سَرىspread فَكَساand clothed المَنارَةَthe minaret حَبرَةًin joy
نَبَأٌ سَرى فَكَسا المَنارَةَ حَبرَةً
وَزَهاand brightened المُصَلّىthe prayer hall وَاِستَخَفَّand thrilled المِنبَراthe pulpit
وَزَها المُصَلّى وَاِستَخَفَّ المِنبَرا
News spread, clothing the minaret in joy,
and brightened the prayer hall and thrilled the pulpit.
وَسَماand soared بِأَروِقَةِwith the arcades of الهُدىguidance فَأَحَلَّهاthen set them
وَسَما بِأَروِقَةِ الهُدى فَأَحَلَّها
فَرعَthe crown of الثُرَيّاthe Pleiades وَهيَthough they were فيin أَصلِthe root of الثَرىthe earth
فَرعَ الثُرَيّا وَهيَ في أَصلِ الثَرى
It raised the arcades of guidance, setting them
at the Pleiades' crown, though rooted in the dust.
وَمَشىand walked إِلىto الحَلَقاتِthe study circles فَاِنفَجَرَتwhich then burst forth لَهُfor it
وَمَشى إِلى الحَلَقاتِ فَاِنفَجَرَت لَهُ
حَلقاًin rings كَهالاتِlike the halos of السَماءِheaven مُنَوِّراshedding light
حَلقاً كَهالاتِ السَماءِ مُنَوِّرا
It walked to the study circles, which burst forth for it
in rings like heaven's halos, as it shed its light.
حَتّىuntil ظَنَنّاwe thought الشافِعِيَّal-Shafi‘i وَمالِكاًand Malik
حَتّى ظَنَنّا الشافِعِيَّ وَمالِكاً
وَأَباand Abu حَنيفَةِHanifa وَاِبنَand Ibn حَنبَلِHanbal حُضَّراpresent
وَأَبا حَنيفَةِ وَاِبنَ حَنبَلِ حُضَّرا
Until we thought al-Shafi‘i and Malik,
Abu Hanifa and Ibn Hanbal, were present.
إِنَّsurely الَّذيHe who جَعَلَmade العَتيقَthe Ancient House مَثابَةًa place of return
إِنَّ الَّذي جَعَلَ العَتيقَ مَثابَةً
جَعَلَmade الكِنانِيَّthe Egyptian institution المُبارَكَthe blessed كَوثَراa river of abundance
جَعَلَ الكِنانِيَّ المُبارَكَ كَوثَرا
Surely He who made the Ancient House a place of return
made Egypt's blessed al-Azhar a river of abundance.
العِلمُknowledge فيهِin it مَناهِلاًwatering places وَمَجانِياًand harvests
العِلمُ فيهِ مَناهِلاً وَمَجانِياً
يَأتيcome لَهُto it النُزّاعُtravelers from afar يَبغونَseeking القِرىhospitality
يَأتي لَهُ النُزّاعُ يَبغونَ القِرى
Knowledge there is springs to drink from and fruits to gather;
travelers from afar come to it seeking hospitality.
ياO فِتيَةَyoung men of المَعمورِthe flourishing house سارَtraveled حَديثُكُمword of you
يا فِتيَةَ المَعمورِ سارَ حَديثُكُم
نَدّاًas fragrant incense بِأَفواهِon the mouths of الرِكابِriding camels وَعَنبَراand ambergris
نَدّاً بِأَفواهِ الرِكابِ وَعَنبَرا
O youths of the flourishing house, word of you has traveled
as incense and ambergris on the lips of caravans.
المَعهَدُthe academy القُدسِيُّthe sacred كانَwas نَدِيُّهُits gathering place
المَعهَدُ القُدسِيُّ كانَ نَدِيُّهُ
قُطباًa pole لِدائِرَةِfor the circle of البِلادِthe country وَمِحوَراand an axis
قُطباً لِدائِرَةِ البِلادِ وَمِحوَرا
The sacred academy—its gathering place was
the pole and axis of the country's circle.
وُلِدَتwas born قَضِيَّتُهاher cause عَلىat مِحرابِهِits prayer niche
وُلِدَت قَضِيَّتُها عَلى مِحرابِهِ
وَحَبَتand crawled بِهِin it طِفلاًas a child وَشَبَّتand grew up مُعصِراa maiden of age
وَحَبَت بِهِ طِفلاً وَشَبَّت مُعصِرا
Her cause was born at its prayer niche,
and crawled there as a child, then grew to maidenhood.
وَتَقَدَّمَتand advanced تُزجيdriving forward الصُفوفَthe ranks كَأَنَّهاas though she were
وَتَقَدَّمَت تُزجي الصُفوفَ كَأَنَّها
جاندَركُJoan of Arc فيin يَدِهاher hand اللِواءُthe banner مُظَفَّراvictorious
جاندَركُ في يَدِها اللِواءُ مُظَفَّرا
She advanced, driving the ranks as though she were
Joan of Arc, with the victorious banner in her hand.
هُزّواrouse القُرىthe villages مِنfrom كَهفِهاtheir cave وَرَقيمِهاand their inscribed tablet
هُزّوا القُرى مِن كَهفِها وَرَقيمِها
أَنتُمyou لَعَمرُby the life of اللَهِGod أَعصابُthe nerves of القُرىthe villages
أَنتُم لَعَمرُ اللَهِ أَعصابُ القُرى
Rouse the villages from their cave and their inscribed tablet;
by God's life, you are the nerves of the villages.
الغافِلُthe heedless man الأُمِّيُّthe unlettered يَنطُقُspeaks عِندَكُمin your presence
الغافِلُ الأُمِّيُّ يَنطُقُ عِندَكُم
كَالبَبَّغاءِlike a parrot مُرَدِّداًechoing وَمُكَرِّراand repeating
كَالبَبَّغاءِ مُرَدِّداً وَمُكَرِّرا
The heedless, unlettered man speaks in your presence
like a parrot, echoing and repeating.
يُمسيhe passes the evening وَيُصبِحُand enters the morning فيin أَوامِرِthe commands of دينِهِhis religion
يُمسي وَيُصبِحُ في أَوامِرِ دينِهِ
وَأُمورِand the affairs of دُنياهُhis worldly life بِكُمthrough you مُستَبصِراgaining insight
وَأُمورِ دُنياهُ بِكُم مُستَبصِرا
Evening and morning, in the precepts of his faith
and the affairs of his world, he gains insight through you.
لَوif قُلتُمُyou said اِختَرchoose لِلنِيابَةِfor parliamentary office جاهِلاًan ignoramus
لَو قُلتُمُ اِختَر لِلنِيابَةِ جاهِلاً
أَوor لِلخَطابَةِfor oratory باقِلاًBaqil, proverbial for inarticulacy لَتَخَيَّراhe would surely choose
أَو لِلخَطابَةِ باقِلاً لَتَخَيَّرا
If you said, 'Choose an ignoramus for parliament,
or Baqil for oratory,' he would surely choose him.
ذُكِرَwere mentioned الرِجالُthe men لَهُto him فَأَلَّهَso he deified عُصبَةًa group
ذُكِرَ الرِجالُ لَهُ فَأَلَّهَ عُصبَةً
مِنهُمof them وَفَسَّقَand declared sinful آخَرينَothers وَكَفَّراand declared unbelievers
مِنهُم وَفَسَّقَ آخَرينَ وَكَفَّرا
Men were mentioned to him, and he deified a group
of them, declaring others sinners and unbelievers.
آباؤُكُمyour fathers قَرَأواread عَلَيهِto him وَرَتَّلواand chanted
آباؤُكُم قَرَأوا عَلَيهِ وَرَتَّلوا
بِالأَمسِyesterday تاريخَthe history of الرِجالِmen مُزَوَّراfalsified
بِالأَمسِ تاريخَ الرِجالِ مُزَوَّرا
Your fathers read to him and chanted
yesterday a falsified history of men,
حَتّىuntil تَلَفَّتَhe turned his gaze عَنaway from مَحاجِرِthe quarries of رَومَةٍRome
حَتّى تَلَفَّتَ عَن مَحاجِرِ رَومَةٍ
فَرَأىand saw عُرابيUrabi فيin المَواكِبِthe processions قَيصَراCaesar
فَرَأى عُرابي في المَواكِبِ قَيصَرا
until he turned his gaze from the quarries of Rome
and saw Urabi as Caesar in the processions.
وَدَعاand prayed لِمَخلوقٍfor a created being وَأَلَّهَand deified زائِلاًa mortal being
وَدَعا لِمَخلوقٍ وَأَلَّهَ زائِلاً
وَاِرتَدَّand turned back فيinto ظُلَمِthe darkness of العُصورِthe ages القَهقَرىbackward
وَاِرتَدَّ في ظُلَمِ العُصورِ القَهقَرى
He prayed for a creature and deified a mortal,
and turned backward into the darkness of the ages.
وَتَفَيَّئواand seek shade الدُستورَthe constitution تَحتَbeneath ظِلالِهِits shades
وَتَفَيَّئوا الدُستورَ تَحتَ ظِلالِهِ
كَنَفاًa shelter أَهَشَّmore welcoming مِنَthan الرِياضِgardens وَأَنضَراand fresher
كَنَفاً أَهَشَّ مِنَ الرِياضِ وَأَنضَرا
Seek shelter beneath the constitution's shade,
a haven more welcoming and fresher than gardens.
لاdo not تَجعَلوهُmake it هَوىًa whim وَخُلقاًand a habit بَينَكُمamong you
لا تَجعَلوهُ هَوىً وَخُلقاً بَينَكُم
وَمَجَرَّand a conduit for دُنياworldly gain لِلنُفوسِfor individuals وَمَتجَراand a marketplace
وَمَجَرَّ دُنيا لِلنُفوسِ وَمَتجَرا
Do not make it a whim and a habit among you,
and a channel for personal worldly gain, a marketplace.
اليَومَtoday صَرَّحَتِspoke plainly الأُمورُevents فَأَظهَرَتand revealed
اليَومَ صَرَّحَتِ الأُمورُ فَأَظهَرَت
ماwhat كانَhad been مِنof خُدَعِthe deceits of السِياسَةِpolitics مُضمَراconcealed
ما كانَ مِن خُدَعِ السِياسَةِ مُضمَرا
Today events have spoken plainly, revealing
the political deceits that had lain hidden.
قَدindeed كانَwas وَجهُthe course of الرَأيِjudgment أَنthat نَبقىwe remain يَداًa single hand
قَد كانَ وَجهُ الرَأيِ أَن نَبقى يَداً
وَنَرىand see وَراءَbehind جُنودِهاher soldiers إِنكِلتِراEngland
وَنَرى وَراءَ جُنودِها إِنكِلتِرا
The sound course was for us to remain one hand,
and see England behind her soldiers.
فَإِذاthen if أَتَتناshe came to us بِالصُفوفِwith ranks كَثيرَةًmany
فَإِذا أَتَتنا بِالصُفوفِ كَثيرَةً
جِئناwe would come بِصَفٍّwith a rank واحِدٍsingle لَنwill not يُكسَراbe broken
جِئنا بِصَفٍّ واحِدٍ لَن يُكسَرا
Then, if she came against us in many ranks,
we would come in a single rank that would never be broken.
غَضِبَتshe grew angry فَغَضَّso lowered الطَرفَthe gaze كُلُّevery مُكابِرٍarrogant man
غَضِبَت فَغَضَّ الطَرفَ كُلُّ مُكابِرٍ
يَلقاكَhe meets you بِالخَدِّwith the cheek اللَطيمِslapped مُصَعَّراturning it aside in pride
يَلقاكَ بِالخَدِّ اللَطيمِ مُصَعَّرا
She grew angry, and every arrogant man lowered his gaze—
he who greets you with his slapped cheek turned aside in pride.
لَمdid not تَلقَencounter إِصلاحاًreform يُهابُto be feared وَلَمnor did تَجِدfind
لَم تَلقَ إِصلاحاً يُهابُ وَلَم تَجِد
مِنany كُتلَةٍunited bloc ماsuch as كانَhad أَعياbaffled مِلنَراMilner
مِن كُتلَةٍ ما كانَ أَعيا مِلنَرا
She met no reform that commanded awe, nor found
any bloc like the one that had baffled Milner.
حَظٌّa stroke of fortune رَجَوناwe hoped for الخَيرَgood مِنfrom إِقبالِهِits arrival
حَظٌّ رَجَونا الخَيرَ مِن إِقبالِهِ
عاثَwreaked havoc المُفَرِّقُthe divider فيهِin it حَتّىuntil أَدبَراit turned away
عاثَ المُفَرِّقُ فيهِ حَتّى أَدبَرا
A stroke of fortune whose coming made us hope for good—
the divider wreaked havoc in it until it turned away.
دارُthe House of النِيابَةِRepresentatives هَيَّأَتhas prepared دَرَجاتُهاits steps
دارُ النِيابَةِ هَيَّأَت دَرَجاتُها
فَليَرقَso let them ascend فيon الدَرَجِthe stairs الذَوائِبُthe crests وَالذُراand the summits
فَليَرقَ في الدَرَجِ الذَوائِبُ وَالذُرا
The House of Representatives has readied its steps;
let the crests and summits ascend the stairs:
الصارِخونَthose who cry out إِذاwhen أُسيءَharm is done إِلىto الحِمىthe homeland
الصارِخونَ إِذا أُسيءَ إِلى الحِمى
وَالزائِرونَand those who roar إِذاwhen أُغيرَa raid is made عَلىagainst الشَرىthe lion's thicket
وَالزائِرونَ إِذا أُغيرَ عَلى الشَرى
those who cry out when the homeland is wronged,
and those who roar when the lion's thicket is raided,
لاnot الجاهِلونَthe ignorant العاجِزونَthe incapable وَلاnor الأُلىthose who
لا الجاهِلونَ العاجِزونَ وَلا الأُلى
يَمشونَwalk فيin ذَهَبِthe gold of القُيودِthe chains تَبَختُراswaggering
يَمشونَ في ذَهَبِ القُيودِ تَبَختُرا
not the ignorant and incapable, nor those
who strut in the gold of their chains.
Sol 6.1