لاحَflashed بِآفاقِalong the horizons of السعودgood fortune بروقlightning flashes
لاحَ بِآفاقِ السعود بروق
وَبِهاand in them لاِقمارfor the moons of السُرورjoy شُروقa rising
وَبِها لاِقمار السُرور شُروق
Lightning flashed along the horizons of good fortune,
The horizons of prosperity shone with flashes,
and there the moons of joy rose.
And the moons of joy rose in it.
وَبَداand appeared اِلىto الاِحداقِthe eyes بَعدafter تَغيبan absence
وَبَدا اِلى الاِحداقِ بَعد تَغيب
نجمa star لَهُit has فيin الخافِقينَthe east and west بَريقa gleam
نجم لَهُ في الخافِقينَ بَريق
And after an absence there appeared before the eyes
After disappearing, a star appeared to the eyes,
a star with a gleam in both east and west.
It had a glimmer in the hearts.
قرتwere gladdened عُيونُthe eyes of أَولىthose possessing النَهىunderstanding بِظُهورِهِby its appearance
قرت عُيونُ أَولى النَهى بِظُهورِهِ
فيon الاِفقِthe horizon لماwhen أَسعَفَlent aid التَوفيقsuccess
في الاِفقِ لما أَسعَفَ التَوفيق
The eyes of the wise were gladdened by its appearance
The eyes of the people of wisdom were delighted with its appearance,
on the horizon, when success lent its aid.
In the horizon when success was granted.
اللَهُGod أَكبَرُis greatest يَومَthe day آبreturned عَزيزِناour cherished one
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ يَومَ آب عَزيزِنا
عيدa festival كَبيرgreat زائَهُadorned it (uncertain reading) التَشريقthe dawning light
عيد كَبير زائَهُ التَشريق
God is greatest! The day our cherished one returned
God is the Greatest on the glorious day of August,
was a great festival, graced by the dawning light.
A great feast adorned with decoration.
وَالدَهرُand time هَنأَناcongratulated us بِعَودon the return of مملكa sovereign
وَالدَهرُ هَنأَنا بِعَود مملك
هُوَhe بِالمَفاخِرِin glorious deeds واثِقconfident وَحَقيقand deserving
هُوَ بِالمَفاخِرِ واثِق وَحَقيق
And time congratulated us on a sovereign's return;
And time congratulated us on the return of the kingdom,
he is confident in his glories and worthy of them.
It is confident and true with pride.
وَأَتىand he came وَكلand everyone بِالسَعادَةof happiness جازِمcertain
وَأَتى وَكل بِالسَعادَة جازِم
وَبَداand he appeared وَكلand everyone بِالفَلاحِof success وَثيقassured
وَبَدا وَكل بِالفَلاحِ وَثيق
And he came, with everyone certain of happiness;
And he came determined with happiness,
and he appeared, with everyone assured of success.
And appeared confident of success.
وانىand came (uncertain reading) الخديويthe Khedive النَخيمaugust (apparent typo) المُرتَضىthe chosen one
وانى الخديوي النَخيم المُرتَضى
ربlord of الفخارglory عَزيزناour cherished one تَوفيقTawfiq
رب الفخار عَزيزنا تَوفيق
And the august, chosen Khedive came,
The benevolent Khedive, the chosen one,
the lord of glory, our cherished Tawfiq.
The lord of pride, our mighty Tawfiq.
رفعتwere raised لَهُfor him الاِعلامَthe banners يَومَthe day of قُدومِهِhis arrival
رفعت لَهُ الاِعلامَ يَومَ قُدومِهِ
وَبَداand appeared لَهاfor them فيin الخافِقينَthe east and west خَفوقfluttering
وَبَدا لَها في الخافِقينَ خَفوق
Banners were raised for him on the day of his arrival,
The flags were raised for him on the day of his arrival,
and their fluttering was seen in the east and west.
And they fluttered for him in the hearts.
وَسرتand spread بِاِرجاءthrough the regions of البِلادِthe land مسرةjoy
وَسرت بِاِرجاء البِلادِ مسرة
منfrom عُطرِهاits perfume روحُthe breath of النَسيمِthe breeze عَبيقfragrant
من عُطرِها روحُ النَسيمِ عَبيق
And joy spread throughout the land;
Joy spread throughout the country,
from its perfume, the breeze's breath grew fragrant.
The soul of the soft breeze was fragrant.
عزقتplayed (apparent typo) لَهُfor him الاِفراحُjoys أَلحانَthe melodies of الهَناbliss
عزقت لَهُ الاِفراحُ أَلحانَ الهَنا
وَبداand appeared يُشيرُattesting لِحُسنِهاto their beauty التَصفيقapplause
وَبدا يُشيرُ لِحُسنِها التَصفيق
Joys played for him the melodies of bliss,
Happiness sang for him melodies of celebration,
and applause rose to attest to their beauty.
And clapping appeared to applaud its beauty.
وَعطاردand Mercury of الاِفلاكthe celestial spheres أَصبَحَbecame كاتِباًa scribe
وَعطارد الاِفلاك أَصبَحَ كاتِباً
أَقبَلcome forth فَاِنَّكَfor you لِلقُبولof favor رَفيقa companion
أَقبَل فَاِنَّكَ لِلقُبول رَفيق
And Mercury of the celestial spheres became a scribe:
The orbit of planets became a scribe,
Come forth, for you are the companion of favor.
Who came and you are a kind friend.
وَاللَهand God قلدكadorned you with المهابةmajesty وَالبَهاand splendor
وَاللَه قلدك المهابة وَالبَها
منناfavors وَأَنتَand you بِماof what حبتthey bestowed خَليقworthy
مننا وَأَنتَ بِما حبت خَليق
And God has adorned you with majesty and splendor
God gave you awe and brilliance,
as favors; and you are worthy of what they bestowed.
You were granted it and you are worthy.
طابَتare pure عَناصِرُكyour origins الكِرامِnoble فَأَنتَso you are لاno
طابَت عَناصِرُك الكِرامِ فَأَنتَ لا
رَيبَdoubt أَصيلwell-born فيin العُلاeminence وَعَريقand deeply rooted
رَيبَ أَصيل في العُلا وَعَريق
Your noble origins are pure; you are, without
Your honorable traits are wholesome, you are without a doubt,
doubt, well-born and deeply rooted in eminence.
Noble and prestigious.
وَلَكَand yours are المَزاياthe distinctions لَيسَdoes not يَحصُرُهاencompass them اِمرؤany person
وَلَكَ المَزايا لَيسَ يَحصُرُها اِمرؤ
اِنindeed اللَبيبَthe discerning person بِحَصرِهاin enumerating them لَيَضيقis surely hard-pressed
اِن اللَبيبَ بِحَصرِها لَيَضيق
And yours are distinctions that no person can encompass;
You have merits that no man can enumerate,
indeed, even the discerning are hard-pressed to count them.
The wise man is too narrow to assess them.
وَلَكَand yours is السِيادَةsovereignty لَيسَdoes not يَكفرdeny أَمرهاits reality
وَلَكَ السِيادَة لَيسَ يَكفر أَمرها
الاexcept عَديمone lacking العَقلِreason أَوor زَنديقa heretic
الا عَديم العَقلِ أَو زَنديق
And yours is sovereignty, which no one denies
You have sovereignty that only an ignorant or atheist would deny,
except one devoid of reason, or a heretic.
The fire of anger burned the livers of enemies.
قَدَحتyou kindled بِأَكبادِin the livers of العِداthe foes نارfire الغضاghada wood
قَدَحت بِأَكبادِ العِدا نار الغضا
وَاِشتَدَّand intensified ماwhat is بَينَbetween الضُلوعthe ribs حَريقa blaze
وَاِشتَدَّ ما بَينَ الضُلوع حَريق
You kindled ghada-wood fire in your foes' livers,
And what was between the ribs became severe flames.
and the blaze between their ribs grew fierce.
They disbelieved the blessings you were destined,
كَفَرواthey were ungrateful بِأَنعُمfor the blessings of قَيضthe flood of (apparent typo) جَدواكَyour bounty الَّتيwhich
كَفَروا بِأَنعُم قَيض جَدواكَ الَّتي
تَربوrises عَلىabove قُطرthe drops of النَداdew وَتَفوقand surpasses
تَربو عَلى قُطر النَدا وَتَفوق
They were ungrateful for the blessings of your bounty's flood, which
Which flows over a drop of dew and exceeds it.
surpasses the drops of dew and exceeds them.
And it crossed the sea though it was drowning in your bounty before.
وَعَلَوتand you rode upon لجthe depths of البَحرthe sea اِذwhen بَطرgrew insolent الَّذيwhich
وَعَلَوت لج البَحر اِذ بَطر الَّذي
هُوَit قَبلbefore ذلِكَthat فيin نَداكَyour bounty غَريقdrowned
هُوَ قَبل ذلِكَ في نَداكَ غَريق
And you rode the deep sea when it grew insolent—
And the bitter water became sweet through your good fortune,
it, which before that had been drowned in your bounty.
As if it is the purest wine for the drinkers.
وَغَداand became الاthe (part of a split word) جاجbriny water (remainder of the split word) بيمنthrough the blessing of سَعدِكَyour good fortune حالِياsweet
وَغَدا الا جاج بيمن سَعدِكَ حالِيا
فَكَأَنَّهُso, as though it were لِلشارِبينَfor the drinkers رَحيقnectar
فَكَأَنَّهُ لِلشارِبينَ رَحيق
And the briny water grew sweet through your blessed good fortune,
They wronged themselves with the deceit of their plots,
as though it were nectar for the drinkers.
And scheming harms its people and perishes.
ظَلَمواthey wronged نُفوسُهُمtheir own souls بِخُدعَةwith the deceit of مكرهمtheir scheming
ظَلَموا نُفوسُهُم بِخُدعَة مكرهم
وَالمَكرand scheming يَصمىstrikes dead أَهلَهُits practitioners وَيَحيقand recoils
وَالمَكر يَصمى أَهلَهُ وَيَحيق
They wronged their own souls with the deceit of their scheming;
You divided their groups so their place,
and scheming slays its practitioners and recoils upon them.
Is in separation and in terrible torment.
فَرقتyou scattered شَملthe unity of جُموعِهِمtheir hosts فمكانَهُمso their place
فَرقت شَمل جُموعِهِم فمكانَهُم
فيin الاِبتِعادِestrangement وَفيand in الوِبالruin سَحيقfar removed
في الاِبتِعادِ وَفي الوِبال سَحيق
You broke the unity of their hosts; their place
Victory is your helper and time has risen,
is far removed, in estrangement and ruin.
Serenity is a slave and perfection a friend.
فَالنَصرُso victory عونكis your helper وَالزَمانand time مَطلوعsubdued (uncertain reading)
فَالنَصرُ عونك وَالزَمان مَطلوع
وَالسَعدand good fortune عَبدa slave وَالكَمالand perfection صَديقa friend
وَالسَعد عَبد وَالكَمال صَديق
So victory is your helper, and time is subdued;
Your justice marched through the whole land,
and good fortune is your slave, and perfection your friend.
So it marches to you, praising and guided.
وَزففتand you led in bridal procession عدلكyour justice فيthrough البَريةhumankind كلهاall of it
وَزففت عدلك في البَرية كلها
فَغَدَتso they began تَزفbring in procession لكto you الثَناpraise وَتسوقand convey
فَغَدَت تَزف لك الثَنا وَتسوق
And you led your justice in bridal procession through all humankind;
They praised with attributes you are beyond enumeration,
so they began to bring you praise in procession and convey it.
Though they are sweet to us and pleasing.
أَثنواthey praised بِاِوصافِwith qualities أَنتَyou عَنbeyond حَصرِهاenumerating them
أَثنوا بِاِوصافِ أَنتَ عَن حَصرِها
لكِنَّهاbut they تَحلوare sweet لَناto us وَتَروقand delight
لكِنَّها تَحلو لَنا وَتَروق
They praised you with qualities beyond your reckoning,
Like the praise of an ideal, it is the shortest shortcoming,
yet they are sweet to us and give us pleasure.
Alas! It does not befit you my master and is not appropriate.
كَثَناءِlike the praise of مِثلىone like me فَهُوَfor it is أَقصَرmost inadequate قاصِرone falling short
كَثَناءِ مِثلى فَهُوَ أَقصَر قاصِر
هَيهاتfar indeed يَصلحis fitting سيديmy lord وَيَليقand is worthy
هَيهات يَصلح سيدي وَيَليق
Like the praise of one such as I—it is the poorest of poor praise.
But the deeds of a man match his caliber,
Far indeed, my lord, from being fitting and worthy!
They appear and who has this composition?
لكنyet عَلىaccording to قَدرthe measure of الفَتىa young man أَعمالهhis deeds
لكن عَلى قَدر الفَتى أَعماله
تَبدوappear وَمنand from ذاthis كانَcame to be ذاthis التَنسيقcomposition
تَبدو وَمن ذا كانَ ذا التَنسيق
Yet, according to a man's measure, his deeds
appear; and from this came this composition.
Partial English translation: 50 of 52 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1