مصر أم الدنيا كما لقبَّوها

مصر أم الدنيا كما لقبَّوها

ليس في الحسن مثلها من مكانِ

ليس في الحسن مثلها من مكانِ

Egypt, Mother of the World, as they have called her:

Egypt, mother of the world as they nicknamed her

no place equals her in beauty.

There is no place like her in beauty

وبنوها هم منشأ الحسن فيها

وبنوها هم منشأ الحسن فيها

وجمال المكان بالسكانِ

وجمال المكان بالسكانِ

And her sons are the source of her beauty,

And her children are the source of beauty in her

and a place's beauty lies in its inhabitants.

The beauty of a place is in its inhabitants

فالسماءُ الحسناءُ اعطلُ ما في ال

فالسماءُ الحسناءُ اعطلُ ما في ال

كون لو لم يحلها القمرانِ

كون لو لم يحلها القمرانِ

For the lovely sky would be the most unadorned thing in the

The beautiful sky would lose all it has

universe, if the sun and moon did not adorn it.

In the universe if not for the two moons

هكذا مصرُ إنَّ احسن ما في

هكذا مصرُ إنَّ احسن ما في

ها بنوها أُلو السجايا الحسانِ

ها بنوها أُلو السجايا الحسانِ

So it is with Egypt: indeed, the finest thing within

So is Egypt, the most beautiful thing in it

her is her sons, endowed with noble qualities.

Are her children, gentle and beautiful

وسجاياهم كلها ساحراتٌ

وسجاياهم كلها ساحراتٌ

وبياني لها بديع المعاني

وبياني لها بديع المعاني

And their qualities are all enchanting,

And their gentleness are all enchantresses

and my description of them is wondrous in meaning.

My expression of it is eloquent

أنظروا لطفهم فهل من مبارٍ

أنظروا لطفهم فهل من مبارٍ

لهم في ميدانهِ أَو مدان

لهم في ميدانهِ أَو مدان

Look at their graciousness: is there any rival

Look at their kindness, is there any

to them in its arena, or anyone who comes close?

To match them in their field or plains?

وامتيازُ المصري باللطف امرٌ

وامتيازُ المصري باللطف امرٌ

ليس في حاجة الى برهانِ

ليس في حاجة الى برهانِ

And the Egyptian's distinction in graciousness is something

And the Egyptian's distinction is gentleness, something

that needs no proof.

That needs no proof

وهو ذيَّالك المشار اليهِ

وهو ذيَّالك المشار اليهِ

أنهُ الطفُ الورى بالبنانش

أنهُ الطفُ الورى بالبنانش

And he is that very one who is pointed out

It is the aforementioned gentle

with the fingers as the gentlest of humankind.

Breeze with the jasmine

ولقد قال للصبا حين رامت

ولقد قال للصبا حين رامت

أن تحدَّاهُ لستِ من اقراني

أن تحدَّاهُ لستِ من اقراني

And indeed he told the east wind, when it sought

And it said to the morning breeze when it wanted

to challenge him: 'You are not among my peers.'

To challenge it: “You are not my equal

ان تحدثهُ تلفهِ لك يُلقي

ان تحدثهُ تلفهِ لك يُلقي

سمعهُ بالرضى والاستحسان

سمعهُ بالرضى والاستحسان

If you speak to him, you find him lending you

If you talk to it, it will incline

his ear with pleasure and approval.

Its ear with pleasure and appreciation

واذا ما انتهى الحديثُ اليه

واذا ما انتهى الحديثُ اليه

صاغَ منه الشنوف للآذانِ

صاغَ منه الشنوف للآذانِ

And when the conversation passes to him,

And when the talk ends with it

he fashions from it earrings for the ears.

It crafts gentle words for the ears

وأتاه مستعذباً مستطاباً

وأتاه مستعذباً مستطاباً

غاية في الإِبداع والاتقانِ

غاية في الإِبداع والاتقانِ

And he delivers it sweet and pleasing,

Bringing it sweetened and flavored

the utmost in artistry and mastery.

The utmost in creativity and perfection

لفظهُ معدنُ الرشاقة وال

لفظهُ معدنُ الرشاقة وال

رقَّةِ اما المعنى فسحر البيانِ

رقَّةِ اما المعنى فسحر البيانِ

His diction is a mine of grace and

Its words are the essence of grace and

delicacy; as for the meaning, it is the magic of eloquence.

Delicacy, and the meaning is the magic of rhetoric

وهو فيهِ حلو الفكاهة والجدِ

وهو فيهِ حلو الفكاهة والجدِ

لعوبٌ كالراح بالأذهانِ

لعوبٌ كالراح بالأذهانِ

And in it he is charming in jest and earnest,

It has in it the sweetness of humor and seriousness

playing with minds as wine does.

Playful like the spirits in the minds

وكأَن الالفاظ من فيهِ لحنٌ

وكأَن الالفاظ من فيهِ لحنٌ

أوقعته الايدي على العيدان

أوقعته الايدي على العيدان

And the words from his mouth seem like a melody

And it is as if the words from its mouth are a tune

played by hands upon lutes.

Cast by hands on the flute

واذا ما اصطفيتهُ لك خلاًّ

واذا ما اصطفيتهُ لك خلاًّ

كان أوفى وأصدق الخلانِ

كان أوفى وأصدق الخلانِ

And if you choose him as your close friend,

And if you choose it as a confidante

he will be the most faithful and truthful of friends.

It is the most loyal and truthful of confidants

يحفظ الغيب يخلص الود يرعى ال

يحفظ الغيب يخلص الود يرعى ال

عهد يغضي عن زلة الاخدانِ

عهد يغضي عن زلة الاخدانِ

He keeps faith in your absence, is sincere in affection, and honors the

It keeps secrets, is sincere in affection, fulfills

pledge, overlooking his close friends' slips.

Promises, overlooks the missteps of loved ones

وله بالغريب رفقٌ يفوقُ ال

وله بالغريب رفقٌ يفوقُ ال

وصف عنه تحدَّث المشرقانِ

وصف عنه تحدَّث المشرقانِ

And his kindness to the stranger surpasses

And it has with strangers a kindness that surpasses

description; East and West have spoken of it.

Description, both east and west spoke of it

يتلقَّاهُ اذ يراهُ بقلبٍ

يتلقَّاهُ اذ يراهُ بقلبٍ

وامقٍ عاطفٍ عليهِ وحانِ

وامقٍ عاطفٍ عليهِ وحانِ

He receives him, when he sees him, with a heart

Receiving him when seeing him with a

loving, sympathetic toward him, and tender.

Pure, sympathetic, and loving heart

وبه يحتفي احتفاءَ صديقٍ

وبه يحتفي احتفاءَ صديقٍ

بتلاقي صديقهِ جذلانِ

بتلاقي صديقهِ جذلانِ

And he welcomes him with the warmth of a friend

And with him it celebrates the celebration of a

overjoyed at meeting his friend.

Friend upon meeting his dear longtime friend