لاno مَرحَباًwelcome بِكَto you أَيُّهَذاO you العامُthe year
لا مَرحَباً بِكَ أَيُّهَذا العامُ
لَمnot يُرعَwas honored عِندَكَin your time لِلأُساةِfor physicians ذِمامُa pledge of protection
لَم يُرعَ عِندَكَ لِلأُساةِ ذِمامُ
No welcome to you, O year!
No welcome to you, O this year,
In your time, no pledge of protection for physicians was honored.
You have shown no mercy for the afflicted.
فيat مُستَهَلِّكَyour outset رُعتَناyou frightened us بِمَآتِمٍwith funerals
في مُستَهَلِّكَ رُعتَنا بِمَآتِمٍ
لِلنافِعينَfor those who benefited others مِنَamong الرِجالِmen تُقامُare held
لِلنافِعينَ مِنَ الرِجالِ تُقامُ
At your outset, you frightened us with funerals
Your onset brought us many sorrows,
Held for men who had benefited others.
For the beneficial men to establish.
عَلَمانِtwo banners مِنamong أَعلامِthe banners of مِصرَEgypt طَواهُماfurled them both
عَلَمانِ مِن أَعلامِ مِصرَ طَواهُما
فيكَin your time الرَدىdeath فَبَكَتهُماso wept for them both الأَهرامُthe pyramids
فيكَ الرَدى فَبَكَتهُما الأَهرامُ
Two banners among Egypt's banners were furled
Two signs from the signs of Egypt you buried,
By death in your time, and the pyramids wept for them.
So the pyramids wept for them in you.
غَيَّبتَyou hid away شُكريShukri وَهوَwhile he was نابِهُthe eminent man of عَصرِهِhis age
غَيَّبتَ شُكري وَهوَ نابِهُ عَصرِهِ
وَأَصَبتَand you struck down إِبراهيمَIbrahim وَهوَwhile he was إِمامُa leader
وَأَصَبتَ إِبراهيمَ وَهوَ إِمامُ
You hid Shukri away, eminent in his age,
You took Shukri while he was in his prime,
And struck down Ibrahim, a leader.
And you struck down Ibrahim while he was a leader.
خَدَماthey both served رُبوعَthe lands of النيلِthe Nile فيduring عَهدَيهِماtheir two lifetimes
خَدَما رُبوعَ النيلِ في عَهدَيهِما
وَالطِبُّand medicine نَبتٌa plant لَمnot يَجُدهُhad watered it غَمامُrain clouds
وَالطِبُّ نَبتٌ لَم يَجُدهُ غَمامُ
They both served the lands of the Nile in their lifetimes,
They both served the Nile’s lands in their time,
When medicine was a plant no raincloud had watered.
And medicine is a plant untouched by clouds of sorrow.
وَالناسُand the people بِالغَربِيِّwith the Westerner فيin تَطبيبِهِhis medical treatment
وَالناسُ بِالغَربِيِّ في تَطبيبِهِ
وَلِعواwere infatuated عَلىdespite بُعدِthe distance of المَزارِthe place visited وَهامواand were enamored
وَلِعوا عَلى بُعدِ المَزارِ وَهاموا
And people, by the Westerner's medical treatment,
People turned to the Westerner in treatment
Were captivated and enamored, despite the distant journey.
And roamed afar from the tombs, bewildered,
حَتّىuntil اِنبَرىstepped forward شُكريShukri فَأَثبَتَand proved سَبقُهُhis preeminence
حَتّى اِنبَرى شُكري فَأَثبَتَ سَبقُهُ
أَنَّthat اِبنَthe son of مِصرَEgypt مُجَرِّبٌan experienced practitioner مِقدامُbold
أَنَّ اِبنَ مِصرَ مُجَرِّبٌ مِقدامُ
Until Shukri stepped forward, and his preeminence proved
Until Shukri came forth proving his precedence,
That Egypt's son was an experienced, bold practitioner.
That the son of Egypt is a daring experimenter.
وَأَقامَand established إِبراهيمُIbrahim أَبلَغَthe most compelling حُجَّةٍproof
وَأَقامَ إِبراهيمُ أَبلَغَ حُجَّةٍ
أَنَّthat العَرينَthe lion's den يَحُلُّهُinhabits it ضِرغامُa mighty lion
أَنَّ العَرينَ يَحُلُّهُ ضِرغامُ
And Ibrahim established the most compelling proof
And Ibrahim established the most eloquent proof
That a mighty lion inhabited the den.
That the lion’s den is entered by the courageous.
وَتَرَسَّمَand followed المُتَعَلِّمونَthe students خُطاهُماtheir footsteps
وَتَرَسَّمَ المُتَعَلِّمونَ خُطاهُما
فَاِنشَقَّso sprang forth مِنfrom عَلَمَيهِماtheir two banners أَعلامُbanners
فَاِنشَقَّ مِن عَلَمَيهِما أَعلامُ
And students followed in their footsteps,
The students walked in their footsteps,
So from their two banners, other banners sprang forth.
So flags split from their knowledge.
قَدindeed أَقسَمواthey swore لِلطِبِّto medicine أَنthat يَسمواthey would rise بِهِwith it
قَد أَقسَموا لِلطِبِّ أَن يَسموا بِهِ
فَوقَabove السِماكِal-Simak, a star فَبَرَّتِso were fulfilled الأَقسامُthe oaths
فَوقَ السِماكِ فَبَرَّتِ الأَقسامُ
They had sworn to raise medicine
They swore to medicine to elevate it
Above al-Simak, and their oaths were fulfilled.
Above the stars, so the oaths were binding.
وَغَدَتand became رُبوعُthe realms of الطِبِّmedicine تَحكيresemble جَنَّةًa paradise
وَغَدَت رُبوعُ الطِبِّ تَحكي جَنَّةً
فيهاin it لِبُقراطَfor Hippocrates الحَكيمِthe sage مَقامُan abode
فيها لِبُقراطَ الحَكيمِ مَقامُ
And the realms of medicine came to resemble a paradise,
The lands of medicine came to tell the story
Where Hippocrates the sage had his abode.
Of a paradise wherein Buqrat the Wise has his station.
وَرَأىand saw عَليلُthe ailing man of النيلِthe Nile أَنَّthat أُساتَهُhis physicians
وَرَأى عَليلُ النيلِ أَنَّ أُساتَهُ
بَذّواsurpassed الأُساةَthe physicians فَلَمso did not يَرُعهُfrighten him سَقامُillness
بَذّوا الأُساةَ فَلَم يَرُعهُ سَقامُ
And the ailing man of the Nile saw that his physicians
The Nile's patients saw that their griefs
Had surpassed other physicians, and illness no longer frightened him.
Cast off grief, so no more sickness plagued them.
ياO مِصرُEgypt حَسبُكِenough for you ماwhat بَلَغتِyou attained مِنَof المُنىaspirations
يا مِصرُ حَسبُكِ ما بَلَغتِ مِنَ المُنى
صَدَقَproved true الرَجاءُhope وَصَحَّتِand came to pass الأَحلامُthe dreams
صَدَقَ الرَجاءُ وَصَحَّتِ الأَحلامُ
O Egypt, enough for you are the aspirations you have attained;
O Egypt, it suffices what you have attained of wishes,
Hope proved true, and dreams came to pass.
The hopes were true and the dreams correct.
وَمَشىand walked بَنوكِyour sons كَماas اِشتَهَيتِyou wished إِلىtoward العُلاgreatness
وَمَشى بَنوكِ كَما اِشتَهَيتِ إِلى العُلا
وَعَلىand in الوَلاءِloyalty كَماas عَلِمتِyou knew أَقامواthey remained
وَعَلى الوَلاءِ كَما عَلِمتِ أَقاموا
And your sons walked toward greatness, as you wished,
Your children walked as you desired, to the heights,
And remained steadfast in loyalty, as you knew.
And they remained loyal as you taught them.
وَمَدَدتِand you raised صَوتَكِyour voice بَعدَafter طولِthe length of خُفوتِهِits faintness
وَمَدَدتِ صَوتَكِ بَعدَ طولِ خُفوتِهِ
فَدَعاso prayed بِعافِيَةٍfor well-being لَكِfor you الإِسلامُIslam
فَدَعا بِعافِيَةٍ لَكِ الإِسلامُ
And you raised your voice after its long hush,
You extended your voice after its long hush,
So Islam prayed for your well-being.
So Islam called the good tidings to you.
وَرَفَعتِand you raised رَأسَكِyour head عِندَat مُفتَخَرِthe glory of النُهىintellect
وَرَفَعتِ رَأسَكِ عِندَ مُفتَخَرِ النُهى
بَينَamong المَمالِكِthe kingdoms حَيثُwhere تُحنىare bowed الهامُheads
بَينَ المَمالِكِ حَيثُ تُحنى الهامُ
And you raised your head where intellect finds its glory,
You raised your head before the proud preventer of sins,
Among the kingdoms, where heads are bowed.
Among the kingdoms where ambitions bow.
كَمhow many فيكِin you جَرّاحٌa surgeon كَأَنَّas though يَمينَهُhis right hand
كَم فيكِ جَرّاحٌ كَأَنَّ يَمينَهُ
عِندَduring الجِراحَةِsurgery بَلسَمٌa balm وَسَلامُand peace
عِندَ الجِراحَةِ بَلسَمٌ وَسَلامُ
How many a surgeon you have, whose right hand seems
How many are your surgeons whose right hand
A balm and peace when he operates.
Is like a healing balm at surgery?
قَدindeed صيغَwas fashioned مِبضَعُهُhis scalpel وَإِنeven though أَجرىcaused to flow دَماًblood
قَد صيغَ مِبضَعُهُ وَإِن أَجرى دَماً
مِنfrom رَحمَةٍmercy فَجَريحُهُso his wounded patient بَسّامُever-smiling
مِن رَحمَةٍ فَجَريحُهُ بَسّامُ
His scalpel, though it draws blood, was fashioned
His incision knife was forged, and if it draws blood,
From mercy, so his wounded patient smiles.
It is out of mercy, so the wounded smile.
وَمُوَفَّقٍand a successful one جَمِّabundant in الصَوابِsound judgment إِذاwhen اِلتَوىbecame tangled
وَمُوَفَّقٍ جَمِّ الصَوابِ إِذا اِلتَوى
داءُthe illness of العَليلِthe patient وَحارَتِand were baffled الأَفهامُminds
داءُ العَليلِ وَحارَتِ الأَفهامُ
And many a successful healer, rich in sound judgment, when
Successful all of whose opinions hit the mark,
The patient's illness grows tangled and minds are baffled,
When the patient’s illness twists and puzzles confound.
يُلقيlistens بِسَمعٍwith hearing لاnot يَخونُfails إِذاwhen هَفَتfaltered
يُلقي بِسَمعٍ لا يَخونُ إِذا هَفَت
أُذُنٌan ear وَخانَand betrayed المِسمَعَينِboth ears صِمامُa valve
أُذُنٌ وَخانَ المِسمَعَينِ صِمامُ
Listens with unfailing hearing, when
He listens with an ear that does not fail when
An ear falters and a valve misleads both ears.
Another ear buzzes and the hearing is blocked.
وَإِذاand when عُضالُintractable الداءِillness أَبهَمَbecame obscure أَمرُهُits nature
وَإِذا عُضالُ الداءِ أَبهَمَ أَمرُهُ
عَرَفَتrecognized خَفِيَّhidden دَبيبِهِits creeping الإِبهامُthe thumb
عَرَفَت خَفِيَّ دَبيبِهِ الإِبهامُ
And when a stubborn illness's nature is obscure,
And when the illness' complexities make its matter obscure,
The thumb detects its hidden creeping.
The ambiguity comes to know its hidden creeping.
يَستَنطِقُmakes speak الآلامَthe pains وَهيَwhile they are دَفينَةٌburied
يَستَنطِقُ الآلامَ وَهيَ دَفينَةٌ
خَرساءُmute حَتّىuntil تَنطِقَspeak الآلامُthe pains
خَرساءُ حَتّى تَنطِقَ الآلامُ
He makes pains speak, though they lie buried,
It interrogates the pains though they are silent,
Mute, until the pains begin to speak.
Until the pains themselves start to speak.
كَمhow many سَلَّhe snatched مِنfrom أَيديthe hands of المَناياdeath أَنفُساًsouls
كَم سَلَّ مِن أَيدي المَنايا أَنفُساً
وَثَنىand turned back عِنانَthe rein of المَوتِdeath وَهوَthough it was زُؤامُswiftly fatal
وَثَنى عِنانَ المَوتِ وَهوَ زُؤامُ
How many souls he has snatched from the hands of death,
How many souls has it saved from the hands of death,
And turned back death's reins, though death was swift and deadly.
And restrained the rein of death when it was stubborn!
وَمُطَبِّبٍand a physician لِلعَينِfor the eye يَحمِلُcarries ميلُهُhis kohl-stick
وَمُطَبِّبٍ لِلعَينِ يَحمِلُ ميلُهُ
نوراًlight إِذاwhen غَشّىveiled العُيونَthe eyes قَتامُgloom
نوراً إِذا غَشّى العُيونَ قَتامُ
And many a healer of eyes, whose kohl-stick carries
And the eye doctor whose inclination carries
Light when gloom shrouds the eyes.
A light when blindness overwhelms the eyes.
وَكَأَنَّand as though إِثمِدَهُhis antimony kohl ضِياءٌlight ذَرَّهُsprinkled it
وَكَأَنَّ إِثمِدَهُ ضِياءٌ ذَرَّهُ
عيسىJesus بنُson of مَريَمَMary فَاِنجَلىso dispersed الإِظلامُthe darkness
عيسى بنُ مَريَمَ فَاِنجَلى الإِظلامُ
And as though his antimony kohl were light scattered
His lens is as if cast by Jesus son of Mary,
By Jesus son of Mary, so the darkness dispersed.
So the darkness dispersed and clarified.
وَمُطَبِّبٍand a physician لِلطِفلِfor the child لَمnot تَنبُتhad grown لَهُfor him
وَمُطَبِّبٍ لِلطِفلِ لَم تَنبُت لَهُ
سِنٌّa tooth وَلَمand not يَدرُجhad crept إِلَيهِtoward him فِطامُweaning
سِنٌّ وَلَم يَدرُج إِلَيهِ فِطامُ
And many a physician for a child who has not yet grown
And the pediatrician whose teeth still haven't come in
A tooth, nor has weaning yet crept toward him.
And who hasn't been weaned from the breast.
يَشكوcomplains of السَقامَillness بِناظِرَيهِwith his eyes وَماand not لَهُfor him
يَشكو السَقامَ بِناظِرَيهِ وَما لَهُ
غَيرُother than التَفَزُّزِrestless twitching وَالأَنينِand groaning كَلامُspeech
غَيرُ التَفَزُّزِ وَالأَنينِ كَلامُ
He complains of illness with his eyes, and has
The sickness complains to him with his eyes, though he has
No speech but restless twitching and groans.
No speech apart from twitches and moans.
فَكَمِso how often اِستَشَفَّdiscerned وَكَمand how often أَصابَjudged correctly كَأَنَّماas though
فَكَمِ اِستَشَفَّ وَكَم أَصابَ كَأَنَّما
فيin نَظرَتَيهِhis two glances الوَحيُrevelation وَالإِلهامُand inspiration
في نَظرَتَيهِ الوَحيُ وَالإِلهامُ
So often he has discerned, and so often judged aright, as though
So how much has he diagnosed, and how often he hits the mark, as if
In his two glances dwelt revelation and inspiration.
Revelation and inspiration are in his glance!
وَمُوَلِّدٍand an obstetrician عَرَفَrecognized الأَجِنَّةُthe unborn فَضلَهُhis merit
وَمُوَلِّدٍ عَرَفَ الأَجِنَّةُ فَضلَهُ
إِنif أَعسَرَتstruggled بِوِلادِهاwith their delivery الأَرحامُthe wombs
إِن أَعسَرَت بِوِلادِها الأَرحامُ
And many an obstetrician whose merit the unborn have known,
And the obstetrician whom the fetuses know his merit,
When wombs struggled with their delivery.
If the wombs have difficulty giving birth.
كَمhow often قَدindeed أَنارَlit لَهاfor them بِحالِكَةِin the darkness of الحَشاthe belly
كَم قَد أَنارَ لَها بِحالِكَةِ الحَشا
سُبُلاًpaths تَضِلُّlose their way سُلوكَهاin following them الأَوهامُimaginations
سُبُلاً تَضِلُّ سُلوكَها الأَوهامُ
How often he has lit for them, in the belly's darkness,
How much in their darkness has he illuminated for them
Paths that imagination loses its way in following.
Ways that imaginations lose and wander!
لَولاbut for يَداهُhis two hands سَطاwould have pounced عَلىupon أَبدانِهاtheir bodies
لَولا يَداهُ سَطا عَلى أَبدانِها
كَربُthe anguish of المَخاضِlabor وَشَفَّهاand wasted them away الإيلامُpain
كَربُ المَخاضِ وَشَفَّها الإيلامُ
But for his hands, their bodies would be assailed
Were it not for his hands passing over their bodies,
By labor's anguish, and pain would waste them away.
The pangs of labor would have overwhelmed them and agony afflicted them
فَبِهَؤُلاءِso in these الغُرِّthe illustrious ياO مِصرَEgypt اِهنَئيrejoice
فَبِهَؤُلاءِ الغُرِّ يا مِصرَ اِهنَئي
فَبِمِثلِهِمfor through their like تَتَفاخَرُvie in pride الأَيّامُthe days
فَبِمِثلِهِم تَتَفاخَرُ الأَيّامُ
So rejoice, Egypt, in these illustrious men,
With these youths, O Egypt, congratulations!
For through their like the days vie in pride.
For the likes of them the days take pride.
وَعَلىand upon طَبيبَيكِyour two physicians اللَذَينِthe two whom رَماهُماstruck them both
وَعَلى طَبيبَيكِ اللَذَينِ رَماهُما
راميthe archer of المَنونِdeath تَحِيَّةٌa greeting وَسَلامُand peace
رامي المَنونِ تَحِيَّةٌ وَسَلامُ
And upon your two physicians, both struck down
And greeting and peace to your two doctors
By death's archer, be greetings and peace.
Whom the archer of death has stricken.
Sol 6.1