بَكيت وَلَكِن بِالدُموعِ السَخينَةِ

بَكيت وَلَكِن بِالدُموعِ السَخينَةِ

وَما نَفَذَت حَتّى بَكَيتُ بِمُهجَتي

وَما نَفَذَت حَتّى بَكَيتُ بِمُهجَتي

I wept, but with burning tears,

I wept but with hot tears,

I wept, but with scalding tears,

and they were not spent until I wept with my heart's blood,

And they had barely flowed before I wept with my soul,

And they did not cease until I wept with my very soul.

عَلى الكامِلِ الأَخلاق وَالنَدبِ مُصطَفى

عَلى الكامِلِ الأَخلاق وَالنَدبِ مُصطَفى

فَقَد كانَ زَينَ العَقلِ الفُتُوَّةِ

فَقَد كانَ زَينَ العَقلِ الفُتُوَّةِ

for Mustafa, perfect in character and noble of spirit.

For the perfect moraled, Mustafa's loss moaned,

For Mustafa, the one of perfect character and noble bearing,

For he was the adornment of intellect and chivalry.

For he was the beauty of sane chivalry.

For he was the adornment of reason and the essence of chivalry.

نَعاهُ لَنا الناعي فَكادَت بِنا الدُنى

نَعاهُ لَنا الناعي فَكادَت بِنا الدُنى

تَميدُ لِهَولِ الخَطبِ خَطبِ المُروأَةِ

تَميدُ لِهَولِ الخَطبِ خَطبِ المُروأَةِ

The herald announced his death to us, and the worlds beneath us nearly

The announcer announced his loss, we were almost

The herald announced his death, and the world almost,

reeled at the horror of the calamity—a calamity for chivalry.

Swooning from the awfulness of the saddening speech,

Shook from the horror of the calamity, the calamity of virtue itself.

وَذابَت قُلوبُ العالَمينَ تَلَهُّفاً

وَذابَت قُلوبُ العالَمينَ تَلَهُّفاً

وَسالَت دُموعُ الحُزنِ مِن كُلِّ مُقلَةِ

وَسالَت دُموعُ الحُزنِ مِن كُلِّ مُقلَةِ

And the hearts of humankind melted with anguish,

And the hearts of both worlds melted yearning

The hearts of all people melted in anguish,

and tears of sorrow flowed from every eye.

And the tears of sorrow flowed from every eyelid.

And tears of sorrow flowed from every eye.

أَجَل قَد قَضى في مِصرَ أَعظَمُ كاتِبٍ

أَجَل قَد قَضى في مِصرَ أَعظَمُ كاتِبٍ

فَخَلَّفَ في الأَكبادِ أَعظَمَ حَسرَةِ

فَخَلَّفَ في الأَكبادِ أَعظَمَ حَسرَةِ

Yes, the greatest writer has died in Egypt,

Yes, the greatest writer passed away in Egypt

Indeed, the greatest writer has passed away in Egypt,

leaving the greatest anguish in our hearts.

Leaving in the hearts the greatest remorse.

Leaving behind the deepest heartbreak within our souls.

فَتى وَأَبي لَوَ اَنَّ في الناسِ مِثلَهُ

فَتى وَأَبي لَوَ اَنَّ في الناسِ مِثلَهُ

لَهانَ عَلَينا وَقعُ هَذي الرَزيأَةِ

لَهانَ عَلَينا وَقعُ هَذي الرَزيأَةِ

A young man—by my father! Had there been his like among people,

A gallant young man, if only the people had one like him,

A young man—by my father's life—were there any like him among men,

the weight of this calamity would have been lighter upon us.

The impact of this misfortune would be lighter upon us.

The blow of this disaster would have been easier for us to bear.

وَلَو كانَ يُفدى بِالنُفوسِ مِنَ الرَدى

وَلَو كانَ يُفدى بِالنُفوسِ مِنَ الرَدى

جَعَلنا فَداهُ كُلَّ نَفسٍ أَبِيَّةِ

جَعَلنا فَداهُ كُلَّ نَفسٍ أَبِيَّةِ

And if souls could ransom him from death,

If he could be saved by souls from demise

And if he could be ransomed with souls from the grasp of death,

we would have made every proud soul his ransom.

We would sacrifice every obstinate soul.

We would have offered every proud soul as his ransom.

فَتىً ماتَ غَضَّ العُمرِ لَم يَعرِفِ الخَنا

فَتىً ماتَ غَضَّ العُمرِ لَم يَعرِفِ الخَنا

وَلَم يَنطَوي في نَفسِهِ حُبُّ رَيبَةِ

وَلَم يَنطَوي في نَفسِهِ حُبُّ رَيبَةِ

A young man who died in the freshness of youth, never knowing foulness,

A young man who died before his time, never knew treachery

A youth who died in the bloom of life, knowing no corruption,

nor harboring within his soul a love of wrongdoing.

And never harbored in his soul the love of doubt.

And harboring no love for deceit within his heart.

وَقَد كانَ مِقداماً جَريئا وَلَم يَكُن

وَقَد كانَ مِقداماً جَريئا وَلَم يَكُن

لِيَبغي الرَدى غَيرَ النُفوسِ الجَريأَةِ

لِيَبغي الرَدى غَيرَ النُفوسِ الجَريأَةِ

He was bold and daring, and it was not

He was bold and fearless and he would not

He was intrepid and daring, for indeed,

for death to seek any but daring souls.

Seek harm except for fearless souls.

Only the daring souls seek to challenge death.

وَكانَ جَواداً لا يَضُنُّ بِحاجَةٍ

وَكانَ جَواداً لا يَضُنُّ بِحاجَةٍ

لِذَلِكَ أَعطى روحَهُ لِلمَنِيَّةِ

لِذَلِكَ أَعطى روحَهُ لِلمَنِيَّةِ

He was generous, never grudging what was needed;

And he was generous, never stingy with a need

He was generous, never withholding what was needed,

thus he gave his soul to death.

That's why he gave his soul to death.

And so he gave even his soul to the hand of fate.

سَلامٌ عَلى مِصرَ الأَسيفَةَ بَعدَهُ

سَلامٌ عَلى مِصرَ الأَسيفَةَ بَعدَهُ

فَقَد أَودَعَت آمالَهُ جَوفَ حُفرَةِ

فَقَد أَودَعَت آمالَهُ جَوفَ حُفرَةِ

Peace upon Egypt, grieving after him,

Peace be upon mighty Egypt after him

Peace be upon sorrowful Egypt in his absence,

for she has laid his hopes in the hollow of a grave.

For it buried his hopes in the depths of a grave.

For she has buried her hopes within the depth of a grave.

خَطيبُ بِلادِ النيلِ مالَك ساكِناً

خَطيبُ بِلادِ النيلِ مالَك ساكِناً

وَقَد كُنتَ تُلقي خُطبَةً إِثرَ خُطبَةِ

وَقَد كُنتَ تُلقي خُطبَةً إِثرَ خُطبَةِ

Orator of the land of the Nile, why are you still,

The orator of the Nile's land, Malik lies

O Orator of the Land of the Nile, why do you lie so still,

when you used to deliver speech after speech?

And you would deliver speech after speech,

When you used to deliver speech after speech?

تَطاوَلَتِ الأَعناقُ حَتّى اِشرَأَبَّتِ

تَطاوَلَتِ الأَعناقُ حَتّى اِشرَأَبَّتِ

فَهَل أَنتَ مُسديها وَلَو بَعضَ لَفظَةِ

فَهَل أَنتَ مُسديها وَلَو بَعضَ لَفظَةِ

Necks stretched until they craned upward;

The necks were craned until fully quenched

Necks have stretched out, craning in anticipation,

will you grant her even part of a word?

Will you quench them even with some words?

Will you grant them even a fragment of a word?

نَعَم كُنتَ لَولا المَوتِ فارِجَ كَربِها

نَعَم كُنتَ لَولا المَوتِ فارِجَ كَربِها

فَيا لِلرَدى مِن غاشِمٍ مُتَعَنِّتِ

فَيا لِلرَدى مِن غاشِمٍ مُتَعَنِّتِ

Yes, but for death, you would have relieved her distress;

Yes, if not for death you would relieve their thirst

Yes, were it not for death, you would have dispelled her grief,

ah, death—what a ruthless, obstinate oppressor!

Oh how stubborn the demise was!

Oh, what a tyrant, what an obstinate oppressor is death!

تَفَطَّرَتِ الأَكبادُ حُزناً كَأَنَّما

تَفَطَّرَتِ الأَكبادُ حُزناً كَأَنَّما

مَماتَكَ سَهمٌ حَلَّ في كُلِّ مُهجَةِ

مَماتَكَ سَهمٌ حَلَّ في كُلِّ مُهجَةِ

Hearts split apart with grief, as though

The souls cracked with sorrow as if

Hearts have been torn asunder with grief, as though,

your death were an arrow lodged in every heart.

Your death pierced every soul.

Your death were an arrow piercing every soul.

وَما حَزِنَت أُمٌّ لِفَقدِ وَحيدِها

وَما حَزِنَت أُمٌّ لِفَقدِ وَحيدِها

بِأَعظَمَ مِن حُزني عَلَيك وَلَوعَتي

بِأَعظَمَ مِن حُزني عَلَيك وَلَوعَتي

No mother has mourned the loss of her only child

No mother ever mourned her only child’s loss

And no mother ever grieved for the loss of her only child,

with sorrow greater than my grief for you and my anguish.

More than my mourning and agony over you.

More deeply than I grieve and anguish over you.

تُناديكَ مِصرُ الآنَ يا خَيرَ راحِلٍ

تُناديكَ مِصرُ الآنَ يا خَيرَ راحِلٍ

وَيا خَيرَ مَن يُرجى لِدَفعِ المُلِمَّةِ

وَيا خَيرَ مَن يُرجى لِدَفعِ المُلِمَّةِ

Egypt calls to you now, O best of the departed,

Egypt calls you now, O best departed

Egypt calls to you now, O best of those who have departed,

and O best of those looked to for warding off calamity.

And O best one hoped to ward off torment.

O best of those relied upon to repel calamity.

عَهَدتُكَ تَأبى دَعوَةً غَيرَ دَعوَتي

عَهَدتُكَ تَأبى دَعوَةً غَيرَ دَعوَتي

فَمالَكَ تَأبى مُصطَفى كُلَّ دَعَوَةِ

فَمالَكَ تَأبى مُصطَفى كُلَّ دَعَوَةِ

I knew you to refuse every call but mine;

I knew you refuse every call but mine

I knew you to refuse any summons but mine,

then why, Mustafa, do you refuse every call?

Why do you refuse, O Mustafa, every call?

So why do you now refuse, Mustafa, every call?

فَقَد تَكُ رَيّاناً فَيا طولَ لَهفَتي

فَقَد تَكُ رَيّاناً فَيا طولَ لَهفَتي

لَقَد كُنتَ سَيفي في الخُطوب وَجَنَّتي

لَقَد كُنتَ سَيفي في الخُطوب وَجَنَّتي

For perhaps your thirst is quenched—oh, how long my yearning!

Indeed you were a pillar, O my prolonged craving

Though you may be quenched, oh how endless is my sorrow,

You were indeed my sword amid calamities, and my shield.

You were my sword in the battles and my shield.

For you were my sword in times of trouble, and my shield.

أَجَل طالَما دافَعتَ عَن مِصرَ مِثلَما

أَجَل طالَما دافَعتَ عَن مِصرَ مِثلَما

يُدافِعُ عَن مَأواهُ نَحلُ الخَلِيَّةِ

يُدافِعُ عَن مَأواهُ نَحلُ الخَلِيَّةِ

Yes, how often you defended Egypt, just as

Yes, many times you defended Egypt as

Indeed, for so long you defended Egypt, just as,

the bees of a hive defend their home.

Bees defend their homestead.

The bees of the hive defend their dwelling.

فَأَيقَظَتها مِن رَقدَةٍ بَعدَ رَقدَةٍ

فَأَيقَظَتها مِن رَقدَةٍ بَعدَ رَقدَةٍ

وَأَنهَضَتها مِن كَبوَةٍ تِلوَ كَبوَةِ

وَأَنهَضَتها مِن كَبوَةٍ تِلوَ كَبوَةِ

You awakened her from slumber after slumber,

You awakened it after slumber over slumber

You awakened her from slumber after slumber,

and raised her from fall after fall,

And you roused it from stumbled after stumbled,

And raised her up from stumble after stumble.

وَقَوَّيتَ في أَبنائِها الحُبَّ نَحوَها

وَقَوَّيتَ في أَبنائِها الحُبَّ نَحوَها

وَكُنتَ لَهُم في ذاكَ أَفضَلَ قُدوَةِ

وَكُنتَ لَهُم في ذاكَ أَفضَلَ قُدوَةِ

and strengthened her children's love for her,

And you strengthened in its children love towards it

You strengthened the love for her within her sons,

and in this were their finest example.

And you were for them the best example.

And in that, you were to them the finest example.

رَفَعتَ لِواءَ الحَقِّ فَوقَ رُبوعِها

رَفَعتَ لِواءَ الحَقِّ فَوقَ رُبوعِها

فَضَمَّ إِلَيهِ كُلَّ ذي وَطَنِيَّةِ

فَضَمَّ إِلَيهِ كُلَّ ذي وَطَنِيَّةِ

You raised the banner of truth over her lands,

You raised the banner of truth over its expanse

You raised the banner of truth above her lands,

so it drew to itself every patriot.

And every patriot joined under it.

Rallying to it every true patriot.

لَئِن تَكُ أَترَعتَ القُلوبَ مَحبَّةً

لَئِن تَكُ أَترَعتَ القُلوبَ مَحبَّةً

فَإِنَّكَ لَم تُخلَق لِغَيرِ المَحَبَّةِ

فَإِنَّكَ لَم تُخلَق لِغَيرِ المَحَبَّةِ

If indeed you filled hearts to the brim with love,

If you nurtured hearts with love

If you have filled our hearts to the brim with love,

then you were created for nothing but love.

You were not created for anything but love.

It is because you were created for naught but love.

فَنَم آمِناً وَفَيتَ قَومَكَ قِسطَهُم

فَنَم آمِناً وَفَيتَ قَومَكَ قِسطَهُم

فَيا طالَما ناموا وَأَنتَ بِيَقظَةِ

فَيا طالَما ناموا وَأَنتَ بِيَقظَةِ

So sleep safely: you have given your people their due,

Sleep in peace and fulfill for your people their share

So sleep in peace; you have paid your people their due,

for, oh, how often they slept while you kept watch!

For long had they slept while you kept vigil.

For often they slept while you remained vigilant.

سَيُبقي لَكَ التاريخُ ذِكراً مُخَلَّداً

سَيُبقي لَكَ التاريخُ ذِكراً مُخَلَّداً

فَقَد كُنتَ خَيرَ الناسِ في خَيرِ أُمَّةِ

فَقَد كُنتَ خَيرَ الناسِ في خَيرِ أُمَّةِ

History will preserve an undying remembrance of you,

History will preserve for you immortal memory

History shall preserve for you an eternal memory,

for you were the best of people in the best of nations.

For you were the best of people in the best nation.

For you were the best of men in the best of nations.

عَلَيكَ مِنَ الرَحَمَنِ أَلفُ تَحِيَّةٍ

عَلَيكَ مِنَ الرَحَمَنِ أَلفُ تَحِيَّةٍ

وَمِن أَرضِن مِصرَ أَلفُ أَلفِ تَحِيَّةِ

وَمِن أَرضِن مِصرَ أَلفُ أَلفِ تَحِيَّةِ

A thousand greetings to you from the Most Merciful,

Upon you, a thousand greetings from the Merciful

Upon you, from the Most Merciful, be a thousand greetings,

and a thousand thousand greetings from the land of Egypt.

And from our land Egypt, a thousand thousand greetings.

And from the land of Egypt, a million greetings more.