مَلَكتُم عَلَيَّ عِنانَ الخُطَب

مَلَكتُم عَلَيَّ عِنانَ الخُطَب

وَجُزتُم بِقَدري سَماءَ الرُتَب

وَجُزتُم بِقَدري سَماءَ الرُتَب

You have wrested from me the reins of oratory,

You have held the reins of love over me,

And borne my standing beyond the heaven of ranks.

And granted me, as I deserve, the highest ranks.

فَمَن أَنا بَينَ مُلوكِ الكَلامِ

فَمَن أَنا بَينَ مُلوكِ الكَلامِ

وَمَن أَنا بَينَ كِرامِ الحَسَب

وَمَن أَنا بَينَ كِرامِ الحَسَب

So who am I among the kings of speech,

Who am I amidst the kings of speech?

And who am I among men of noble ancestry?

Who am I amidst the noble pedigree?

أَتَسعى إِلَيَّ حُماةُ القَريضِ

أَتَسعى إِلَيَّ حُماةُ القَريضِ

وَتَمشي إِلَيَّ سَراةُ العَرَب

وَتَمشي إِلَيَّ سَراةُ العَرَب

Do the guardians of verse hasten to me,

The protectors of poetry seek me,

And the eminent Arabs come walking to me,

And the nobles of the Arabs walk to me.

وَتَنظِمُ فِيَّ عُقودَ الجُمانِ

وَتَنظِمُ فِيَّ عُقودَ الجُمانِ

وَتَنثُرُ فَوقي نِثارَ الذَهَب

وَتَنثُرُ فَوقي نِثارَ الذَهَب

And string necklaces of pearls about me,

For me they string the pearls of verse,

And shower gold above me?

And over me they sprinkle the seeds of gold.

وَأُكرَمُ حَتّى كَأَنّي نَبَغَتُ

وَأُكرَمُ حَتّى كَأَنّي نَبَغَتُ

وَقُمتُ لِمِصرَ بِما قَد وَجَب

وَقُمتُ لِمِصرَ بِما قَد وَجَب

And I am honored as though I had achieved distinction,

I am honored as if I were a prodigy,

And done for Egypt what duty required.

And I stood for Egypt as was proper.

فَماذا أَتَيتُ مِنَ الباقِياتِ

فَماذا أَتَيتُ مِنَ الباقِياتِ

وَهَذا شَبابي ضَياعاً ذَهَب

وَهَذا شَبابي ضَياعاً ذَهَب

Then what lasting deeds have I accomplished,

So what lasting works have I achieved

When this youth of mine has gone to waste?

While my youth has vanished into dust?

عَمِلتُ لِقَومِيَ جُهدَ المُقِلِّ

عَمِلتُ لِقَومِيَ جُهدَ المُقِلِّ

عَلى أَنَّهُ عَمَلٌ مُقتَضَب

عَلى أَنَّهُ عَمَلٌ مُقتَضَب

I worked for my people with a poor man's utmost effort,

I toiled for my people with great effort,

Though it was but a brief effort.

Though it was a summarized endeavor.

فَلَم يُغنِ شَيئاً وَلَم يُجدِهِم

فَلَم يُغنِ شَيئاً وَلَم يُجدِهِم

وَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا بَقاءَ الهَبَب

وَلَم يَبقَ إِلّا بَقاءَ الهَبَب

It availed nothing and did them no good,

It helped nothing and did not avail them,

And lasted no longer than windblown dust.

And there remained only fleeting fame.

وَهَل أَنا إِلّا اِمرُؤٌ شاعِرٌ

وَهَل أَنا إِلّا اِمرُؤٌ شاعِرٌ

كَثيرُ الأَماني قَليلُ النَشَب

كَثيرُ الأَماني قَليلُ النَشَب

And am I anything but a man who is a poet,

Am I anything but a poet

Rich in wishes, poor in possessions?

With abundant dreams but little achievement?

يَقولُ وَيُطرِبُ أَتابَهُ

يَقولُ وَيُطرِبُ أَتابَهُ

وَيَقنَعُ مِنهُم بِذاكَ الطَرَب

وَيَقنَعُ مِنهُم بِذاكَ الطَرَب

He speaks and delights [perhaps his peers],

I speak and captivate my companions,

And is content with that delight from them.

And that captivation contents me.

تَعَلَّقتُ حيناً بِذَيلِ البَيانِ

تَعَلَّقتُ حيناً بِذَيلِ البَيانِ

وَأَدخَلتُ نَفسي فيمَن كَتَب

وَأَدخَلتُ نَفسي فيمَن كَتَب

For a time I clung to the hem of eloquence,

For a time, I clung to the tail of rhetoric,

And placed myself among those who wrote.

And entered myself among those who write.

فَلا السَبقُ لي في مَجالِ النُهى

فَلا السَبقُ لي في مَجالِ النُهى

وَلا لِيَ يَومَ الفَخارِ الغَلَب

وَلا لِيَ يَومَ الفَخارِ الغَلَب

Yet I have no lead in the arena of intellect,

But I have no precedence in the field of wisdom,

Nor victory on the day of boasting.

Nor victory on the day of pride.

وَلا أَنا مِن عِليَةِ الكاتِبينَ

وَلا أَنا مِن عِليَةِ الكاتِبينَ

وَلا أَنا بِالشاعِرِ المُنتَخَب

وَلا أَنا بِالشاعِرِ المُنتَخَب

Nor am I among the foremost writers,

I am not of the elite of writers,

Nor am I the chosen poet.

Nor am I the chosen poet.

وَلَكِن سَما بِيَ عَطفُ الأَميرِ

وَلَكِن سَما بِيَ عَطفُ الأَميرِ

وَرَأيُ الوَزيرِ وَفَضلُ الأَدَب

وَرَأيُ الوَزيرِ وَفَضلُ الأَدَب

But the prince's kindness raised me high,

But I gained the favor of the prince,

And the minister's judgment, and the merit of letters.

And the view of the minister and the merit of literature.

وَما كُنتُ أَحلُمُ لَولا الوَزيرُ

وَما كُنتُ أَحلُمُ لَولا الوَزيرُ

بِهَذا الهَناءِ وَهَذا اللَقَب

بِهَذا الهَناءِ وَهَذا اللَقَب

Without the minister, I would never have dreamed

I would not have dreamed of this comfort and title,

Of this happiness and this title.

Had it not been for the minister.

عَلَيَّ أَيادٍ لَهُ جَمَّةٌ

عَلَيَّ أَيادٍ لَهُ جَمَّةٌ

وَفَضلٌ قَديمٌ شَريفُ السَبَب

وَفَضلٌ قَديمٌ شَريفُ السَبَب

His favors upon me are countless,

Upon me are his abundant favors,

And his longstanding kindness is noble in origin.

And his ancient, noble lineage.

فَآناً أَقالَ بِهِ عَثرَتي

فَآناً أَقالَ بِهِ عَثرَتي

وَأَورى زِنادي وَآناً وَهَب

وَأَورى زِنادي وَآناً وَهَب

At one time, through it, he lifted me from my stumble,

Sometimes he lifts my stumbling,

And kindled my flint; at another, he gave.

And kindles my flint, and other times grants me favor.

تَفَيَّأتُ مِنهُ ظِلالَ النَعيمِ

تَفَيَّأتُ مِنهُ ظِلالَ النَعيمِ

وَأَصبَحتُ أَعرِفُ لُبسَ القَصَب

وَأَصبَحتُ أَعرِفُ لُبسَ القَصَب

Through him I sheltered beneath the shades of bliss,

I enjoyed from him the shadows of bliss,

And came to know the wearing of gold brocade.

And I came to know the wearing of the caftan.

وَأَمشي اِختِيالاً إِلى عابِدينَ

وَأَمشي اِختِيالاً إِلى عابِدينَ

يُطالِعُني بَدرُها عَن كَثَب

يُطالِعُني بَدرُها عَن كَثَب

And I walk proudly to Abdin,

I walk proudly to Abidin,

Its full moon appearing before me at close range.

Its full moon watching me closely.

وَأَلثِمُ كَفَّ كَريمِ الجُدودِ

وَأَلثِمُ كَفَّ كَريمِ الجُدودِ

غِياثِ العُفاةِ مُزيلِ الكُرَب

غِياثِ العُفاةِ مُزيلِ الكُرَب

And kiss the hand of one noble in ancestry,

I grasp the hand of the generous, noble ancestor,

The succor of petitioners, the dispeller of distress.

Savior of the helpless, remover of distress.

وَأَحتَثُّ بَينَ وُفودِ السَراةِ

وَأَحتَثُّ بَينَ وُفودِ السَراةِ

مَطايا الرَجاءِ لِذاكَ الرَحَب

مَطايا الرَجاءِ لِذاكَ الرَحَب

And, amid delegations of the eminent, I urge on

And I spur on between the visiting nobility

The mounts of hope toward that bounteous lord.

The steeds of hope towards that vastness.

أَتَوا خالِصينَ لِوَجهِ الأَميرِ

أَتَوا خالِصينَ لِوَجهِ الأَميرِ

فَلا عَن رِياءٍ وَلا عَن رَهَب

فَلا عَن رِياءٍ وَلا عَن رَهَب

They came in sincerity, for the prince's sake,

They came sincerely for the sake of the prince,

Neither from pretense nor from fear.

Not for show or greed.

لَهُم ما يَشاؤونَ مِن رَبِّهِم

لَهُم ما يَشاؤونَ مِن رَبِّهِم

رِضاءُ الأَميرِ وَنَيلُ الأَرَب

رِضاءُ الأَميرِ وَنَيلُ الأَرَب

From their Lord they have whatever they wish:

From their Lord they have what they wish,

The prince's approval and the fulfillment of desire.

The pleasure of the prince and attaining needs fulfilled.

وَلِلكاشِحينَ نَكالُ الزَمانِ

وَلِلكاشِحينَ نَكالُ الزَمانِ

وَنَحسُ النُجومِ ذَواتِ الذَنَب

وَنَحسُ النُجومِ ذَواتِ الذَنَب

But for the spiteful, time's chastisement,

While for the ungrateful is the wrath of fate

And the ill fortune of stars with tails.

And the ill-omened stars with tails.

فَعَهدُ الأَميرِ كَعَهدِ الرَشيدِ

فَعَهدُ الأَميرِ كَعَهدِ الرَشيدِ

يَمُتُّ إِلَيهِ بِحَبلِ النَسَب

يَمُتُّ إِلَيهِ بِحَبلِ النَسَب

For the prince's reign is like al-Rashid's reign,

For the prince’s rule is like al-Rashid’s,

Linked to it by the cord of lineage.

To which he is bound by lineage.

إِلَيكَ أَبا حَسَنٍ أَنتَمي

إِلَيكَ أَبا حَسَنٍ أَنتَمي

فَما زَلَّ مَولىً إِلَيكَ اِنتَسَب

فَما زَلَّ مَولىً إِلَيكَ اِنتَسَب

To you, Abu Hasan, I belong;

To you Abu Hasan I profess loyalty,

For no protégé who claimed your patronage has stumbled.

For I have not ceased being devoted to you.

عَرَفتَ مَكاني فَأَدنَيتَني

عَرَفتَ مَكاني فَأَدنَيتَني

وَشَرَّفتَ قَدري بِدارِ الكُتُب

وَشَرَّفتَ قَدري بِدارِ الكُتُب

You recognized my standing and brought me near,

You knew my status so you brought me near,

And honored my standing at Dar al-Kutub.

And ennobled my worth with the House of Books.

وَعَرَّفتَ دَهري مَكانَ الأَديبِ

وَعَرَّفتَ دَهري مَكانَ الأَديبِ

وَقَد كانَ دَهري شَديدَ الكَلَب

وَقَد كانَ دَهري شَديدَ الكَلَب

And taught my age the standing of the man of letters,

And you introduced my time to the place of the literary,

Though my age had been rabid in its fury.

When before it was violently unjust.

فَلَو أَنَّ لي مُرقِصاتِ الخَليلِ

فَلَو أَنَّ لي مُرقِصاتِ الخَليلِ

وَإِعجازَ شَوقي إِذا ما رَغِب

وَإِعجازَ شَوقي إِذا ما رَغِب

If only I had Khalil's verses that make one dance,

Had I the rhythms of al-Khalil,

And Shawqi's inimitable eloquence when he wills,

Or Shawqi’s eloquence when he wished,

لَقُمتُ بِشُكرِكَ حَقَّ القِيامِ

لَقُمتُ بِشُكرِكَ حَقَّ القِيامِ

وَلَكِن طَلَبتُ فَعَزَّ الطَلَب

وَلَكِن طَلَبتُ فَعَزَّ الطَلَب

I would have thanked you as you truly deserve;

I would rightly thank you,

But I sought it, and the quest proved hard.

But I sought and it was difficult to attain.

فَشُكري لِصُنعِكَ شُكرُ النَباتِ

فَشُكري لِصُنعِكَ شُكرُ النَباتِ

بِبَطنِ الفَلاةِ لِقَطرِ السُحُب

بِبَطنِ الفَلاةِ لِقَطرِ السُحُب

So my thanks for your kindness are the thanks of plants

So my thanks for your favor are the growth’s thanks

In the heart of the desert for the clouds' rain.

In the belly of the desert for the drops of clouds.

وَشُكراً لِشَوقي رَسولِ القَريضِ ال

وَشُكراً لِشَوقي رَسولِ القَريضِ ال

كَريمِ الإِخاءِ المَتينِ السَبَب

كَريمِ الإِخاءِ المَتينِ السَبَب

And thanks to Shawqi, the envoy of verse,

And thanks to Shawqi, messenger of poetry,

Generous in brotherhood, steadfast in his bond.

Noble brother, strong in loyalty.

وَشُكراً لِداوودَ رَبِّ اليَراعِ

وَشُكراً لِداوودَ رَبِّ اليَراعِ

وَشُكراً لِسَركيسَ رَبِّ العَجَب

وَشُكراً لِسَركيسَ رَبِّ العَجَب

And thanks to Dawud, master of the reed pen,

And thanks to Dawud, lord of the plain,

And thanks to Sarkis, master of wonders.

And thanks to Sarkis, lord of wonder.

وَشُكراً لِكُلِّ كَريمٍ سَعى

وَشُكراً لِكُلِّ كَريمٍ سَعى

إِلَيَّ وَكُلِّ أَديبٍ خَطَب

إِلَيَّ وَكُلِّ أَديبٍ خَطَب

And thanks to every generous man who hastened

And thanks to every noble one who strove

To me, and every man of letters who gave an address.

Towards me, and every literary man who sought me.

هُمُ شَجَّعوني عَلى أَن أَقولَ

هُمُ شَجَّعوني عَلى أَن أَقولَ

وَما كانَ لي بَينَهُم مُضطَرَب

وَما كانَ لي بَينَهُم مُضطَرَب

They encouraged me to speak,

They encouraged me to speak

Though I had no room to make my mark among them.

Though among them I was not perturbed.

هُمُ أَلهَموني فَصيحَ الكَلامِ

هُمُ أَلهَموني فَصيحَ الكَلامِ

هُمُ عَلَّموني طَريقَ النُخَب

هُمُ عَلَّموني طَريقَ النُخَب

They inspired me with eloquent speech;

They inspired me with eloquent speech,

They taught me the path of the select.

They taught me the way of the elect.

فَعَنهُم أَخَذتُ وَعَنهُم صَدَرتُ

فَعَنهُم أَخَذتُ وَعَنهُم صَدَرتُ

وَمِن عِندِهِم فَضلِيَ المُكتَسَب

وَمِن عِندِهِم فَضلِيَ المُكتَسَب

From them I learned, and from them I set forth,

From them I took and through them I excelled,

And from them came the merit I acquired.

And from them came my acquired merit.

فَحَيّوا عَزيزَ البِلادِ الَّذي

فَحَيّوا عَزيزَ البِلادِ الَّذي

عَلى السُحبِ ذَيلَ المَعالي سَحَب

عَلى السُحبِ ذَيلَ المَعالي سَحَب

So salute the mighty lord of the land, who

So hail the precious one of the countries,

Drew the train of lofty glory over the clouds.

Who trails the hem of glory on the clouds.

وَحَيّوا سَعيداً وَزيرَ الأَميرِ

وَحَيّوا سَعيداً وَزيرَ الأَميرِ

قَريبَ الصَوابِ بَعيدَ الغَضَب

قَريبَ الصَوابِ بَعيدَ الغَضَب

And salute Sa'id, the prince's minister,

And hail Sa'id, minister of the prince,

Near to sound judgment, far from anger.

Close to right, far from anger.

تَوَلّى الرِئاسَةَ وَالحادِثاتِ

تَوَلّى الرِئاسَةَ وَالحادِثاتِ

تَروعُ النُفوسَ بِوَقعِ النُوَب

تَروعُ النُفوسَ بِوَقعِ النُوَب

He assumed leadership while events

He assumed leadership amid events

Terrified souls with the blows of calamity.

That terrify souls with sudden calamity.

فَساسَ البِلادَ وَأَرضى العِبادَ

فَساسَ البِلادَ وَأَرضى العِبادَ

وَأَرضى الأَميرَ وَأَرضى الأَدَب

وَأَرضى الأَميرَ وَأَرضى الأَدَب

So he governed the land and pleased its people,

He managed the nation and pleased the servants,

And pleased the prince, and pleased the world of letters.

Pleased the prince and pleased literature.