أَقَصرَ الزَعفَرانِ لَأَنتَ قَصرٌ

أَقَصرَ الزَعفَرانِ لَأَنتَ قَصرٌ

خَليقٌ أَن يَتيهَ عَلى النُجومِ

خَليقٌ أَن يَتيهَ عَلى النُجومِ

O Za‘faran Palace, you are indeed a palace

You are the epitome of saffron, O palace

Worthy of boasting above the stars.

Fit to wander amongst the stars

كِلا عَهدَيكَ لِلأَجيالِ فَخرٌ

كِلا عَهدَيكَ لِلأَجيالِ فَخرٌ

وَزَهوٌ لِلحَديثِ وَلِلقَديمِ

وَزَهوٌ لِلحَديثِ وَلِلقَديمِ

Both your eras are a source of pride to generations,

Both your eras are the pride of generations

And a glory to the new and the old.

Glory for the present and antiquity

ثَوى بِالأَمسِ فيكَ عُلاً وَمَجدٌ

ثَوى بِالأَمسِ فيكَ عُلاً وَمَجدٌ

وَأَنتَ اليَومَ مَثوىً لِلعُلومِ

وَأَنتَ اليَومَ مَثوىً لِلعُلومِ

Yesterday, eminence and glory dwelt within you,

Yesterday you harbored majesty and glory

And today you are a home for learning.

Today you are the abode of science

فَمِن نُبلٍ إِلى مَجدٍ أَثيلٍ

فَمِن نُبلٍ إِلى مَجدٍ أَثيلٍ

إِلى عِلمٍ إِلى نَفعٍ عَميمِ

إِلى عِلمٍ إِلى نَفعٍ عَميمِ

So from nobility to deep-rooted glory,

From nobility to everlasting glory

To learning, to all-embracing benefit.

To knowledge, to widespread benefit

أَضَفتَ إِلى صُروحِ العِلمِ صَرحاً

أَضَفتَ إِلى صُروحِ العِلمِ صَرحاً

بِزَورَةِ ذَلِكَ المَلِكِ الحَكيمِ

بِزَورَةِ ذَلِكَ المَلِكِ الحَكيمِ

You added an edifice to the edifices of learning

You have added to the edifices of knowledge, an edifice

Through the visit of that wise king.

With the chastity of that wise king

فَيالَكَ مَنزِلاً رَحباً سَرِيّاً

فَيالَكَ مَنزِلاً رَحباً سَرِيّاً

بَنَتهُ أَنامِلُ الذَوقِ السَليمِ

بَنَتهُ أَنامِلُ الذَوقِ السَليمِ

So what a spacious, noble dwelling you are!

What an expansive, private, beautiful dwelling

The fingertips of sound taste built it

Built by fingers of exquisite taste

وَحاطَتهُ بِبُستانٍ أَنيقٍ

وَحاطَتهُ بِبُستانٍ أَنيقٍ

يُريكَ جَمالُهُ وَجهَ النَعيمِ

يُريكَ جَمالُهُ وَجهَ النَعيمِ

And encircled it with an elegant garden,

Surrounded by an elegant garden

Whose beauty shows you the face of bliss.

Whose beauty shows you the face of bliss

أَبا فاروقَ أَنتَ وَهَبتَ هَذا

أَبا فاروقَ أَنتَ وَهَبتَ هَذا

لِمِصرَ وَهَكَذا مَنحُ الكَريمِ

لِمِصرَ وَهَكَذا مَنحُ الكَريمِ

O father of Farouk, you bestowed this

Oh Abu Farouk you have bestowed this

On Egypt; such is the generous man's giving.

Upon Egypt, such are the gifts of the generous

وَلا عَجَبٌ فَمِصرُ عَلى وَلاءٍ

وَلا عَجَبٌ فَمِصرُ عَلى وَلاءٍ

وَمالِكُها عَلى خُلُقٍ عَظيمِ

وَمالِكُها عَلى خُلُقٍ عَظيمِ

And no wonder: Egypt is steadfast in loyalty,

No wonder, for Egypt is loyal

And her sovereign possesses great character.

And her owner has great character

يُطالِعُها بِبَرٍّ كُلَّ يَومٍ

يُطالِعُها بِبَرٍّ كُلَّ يَومٍ

وَيَرعاها بِعَينِ أَبٍ رَحيمِ

وَيَرعاها بِعَينِ أَبٍ رَحيمِ

He greets her with kindness every day

He looks after her with kindness each day

And watches over her with a compassionate father's eye.

With the eye of a merciful father

وَيُرهِفُ مِن عَزائِمِ آلِ مِصرٍ

وَيُرهِفُ مِن عَزائِمِ آلِ مِصرٍ

إِذا خارَت لَدى الخَطبِ الجَسيمِ

إِذا خارَت لَدى الخَطبِ الجَسيمِ

And sharpens the resolve of Egypt's people

And he is attentive to Egypt's resolutions

When it falters before a grave calamity.

When faced with grave affairs

كَسَوتَ الأَزهَرَ المَعمورَ ثَوباً

كَسَوتَ الأَزهَرَ المَعمورَ ثَوباً

مِنَ الإِجلالِ وَالعِزِّ المُقيمِ

مِنَ الإِجلالِ وَالعِزِّ المُقيمِ

You clothed flourishing al-Azhar in a robe

You have clothed the bustling Azhar

Of reverence and abiding honor.

With a garment of veneration and lasting glory

قَضَيتَ بِهِ الصَلاةَ فَكادَ يُزهى

قَضَيتَ بِهِ الصَلاةَ فَكادَ يُزهى

بِزائِرِهِ عَلى رُكنِ الحَطيمِ

بِزائِرِهِ عَلى رُكنِ الحَطيمِ

You prayed within it, and it almost vaunted itself

You have fulfilled the prayer duty in it, it almost boasts

Over the corner of al-Hatim, thanks to its visitor.

With its visitors at the corner of the Sacred House

رَأى فيكَ المُعِزُّ زَمانَ أَعلى

رَأى فيكَ المُعِزُّ زَمانَ أَعلى

قَواعِدَهُ عَلى ظَهرِ الأَديمِ

قَواعِدَهُ عَلى ظَهرِ الأَديمِ

Al-Mu‘izz saw in you the days when he raised

The revered one saw in you a loftier time

Its foundations upon the surface of the earth.

Its foundations upon the eternal scroll

فَهَشَّ وَهَزَّهُ طَرَبٌ وَشَوقٌ

فَهَشَّ وَهَزَّهُ طَرَبٌ وَشَوقٌ

كَما هَشَّ الحَميمُ إِلى الحَميمِ

كَما هَشَّ الحَميمُ إِلى الحَميمِ

So he rejoiced, and delight and longing stirred him,

So he shook and trembled with yearning and fervor

As a dear friend beams at a dear friend.

As the confidant trembles for the confidant

وَهَلَّلَ كُلُّ مَن فيهِ وَدَوَّت

وَهَلَّلَ كُلُّ مَن فيهِ وَدَوَّت

بِهِ أَصواتُ شَعبِكَ كَالهَزيمِ

بِهِ أَصواتُ شَعبِكَ كَالهَزيمِ

And all within it cheered, and there echoed

And all who were in it cheered

Your people's voices within it, like thunder's roar.

And your people's voices rumbled like thunder

كَذا فَليَحمِلِ التاجَينَ مَلكٌ

كَذا فَليَحمِلِ التاجَينَ مَلكٌ

يُعِزُّ شَعائِرَ الدينِ القَويمِ

يُعِزُّ شَعائِرَ الدينِ القَويمِ

Thus let a king bear the two crowns,

Thus should the crowns be borne by a king

Who honors the rites of the upright faith,

Who venerates the sacraments of the upright religion

وَيَخشى رَبَّهُ وَيُطيعُ مَولىً

وَيَخشى رَبَّهُ وَيُطيعُ مَولىً

هَداهُ إِلى الصِراطِ المُستَقيمِ

هَداهُ إِلى الصِراطِ المُستَقيمِ

And fears his Lord and obeys a Master

And fears His Lord and obeys his Master

Who guided him to the straight path.

Who guided him to the Straight Path

أَيَأذَنُ لي المَليكُ البَرُّ أَنّي

أَيَأذَنُ لي المَليكُ البَرُّ أَنّي

أُهَنِّئُ مِصرَ بِالأَمرِ الكَريمِ

أُهَنِّئُ مِصرَ بِالأَمرِ الكَريمِ

Will the benevolent king allow me

Does the benevolent king permit that I

To congratulate Egypt on the gracious decree?

Congratulate Egypt for the noble event?

فَيا مِصرُ اِسجُدي لِلَّهِ شُكراً

فَيا مِصرُ اِسجُدي لِلَّهِ شُكراً

وَتيهي وَاِقعُدي طَرَباً وَقومي

وَتيهي وَاِقعُدي طَرَباً وَقومي

So, O Egypt, prostrate yourself to God in thanks,

So O Egypt, prostrate to Allah in gratitude

And swell with pride; sit down in delight, and rise.

Be dazed and sit enthralled, and stand tall

فَقَد تَمَّ البِناءُ وَعَن قَريبٍ

فَقَد تَمَّ البِناءُ وَعَن قَريبٍ

تُزَفُّ لَكِ البَشائِرُ مِن نَسيمِ

تُزَفُّ لَكِ البَشائِرُ مِن نَسيمِ

For the building is complete, and soon

For the building is complete, and soon

Glad tidings will be brought to you from Nasim.

Good tidings will blow your way from the breeze

فَدارُ البَرلَمانِ أَعَزُّ دارٍ

فَدارُ البَرلَمانِ أَعَزُّ دارٍ

تُشادُ لِطالِبِ المَجدِ العَميمِ

تُشادُ لِطالِبِ المَجدِ العَميمِ

For the House of Parliament is the most honored house

The honorable House of Parliament

Built for the seeker of far-reaching glory.

Built for the seeker of widespread glory

بِها يَتَجَمَّلُ العَرشُ المُفَدّى

بِها يَتَجَمَّلُ العَرشُ المُفَدّى

وَتَحيا مِصرُ في عَيشٍ رَخيمِ

وَتَحيا مِصرُ في عَيشٍ رَخيمِ

Through it the cherished throne is adorned,

The redeemed throne is adorned by it

And Egypt lives a life of gentle ease.

And Egypt lives in comfortable prosperity

فَشَرِّفها بِرَبِّكَ وَاِختَتِمها

فَشَرِّفها بِرَبِّكَ وَاِختَتِمها

وَأَسعَدِها بِدُستورٍ تَميمِ

وَأَسعَدِها بِدُستورٍ تَميمِ

So honor it, by your Lord, and complete it,

Grace it with your Lord and seal it

And gladden it with a complete constitution.

And make it prosperous with a perfect constitution

بِآيِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبِآيِ عيسى

بِآيِ مُحَمَّدٍ وَبِآيِ عيسى

فَعَوِّذهُ وَآياتِ الكَليمِ

فَعَوِّذهُ وَآياتِ الكَليمِ

With Muhammad's verses and with Jesus's verses,

With the signs of Muhammad and Jesus

So invoke protection for it, and with the verses of God's interlocutor too.

Protect it and the signs of the Sublime

أَبا فاروقَ خُذ بِيَدِ الأَماني

أَبا فاروقَ خُذ بِيَدِ الأَماني

وَحَقِّقها عَلى رَغمِ الخَصيمِ

وَحَقِّقها عَلى رَغمِ الخَصيمِ

O father of Farouk, take hopes by the hand,

Oh Abu Farouk, take the hopes by the hand

And fulfill them despite the adversary.

And realize them despite the opponent

أَفَقنا بَعدَ نَومٍ فَوقَ نَومٍ

أَفَقنا بَعدَ نَومٍ فَوقَ نَومٍ

عَلى نَومٍ كَأَصحابِ الرَقيمِ

عَلى نَومٍ كَأَصحابِ الرَقيمِ

We awoke after sleep upon sleep,

We awoke after a deep slumber

Upon sleep, like the Companions of al-Raqim.

Upon a sleep like the Companions of the Cave

وَأَصبَحنا بِيُمنِكَ في نُهوضٍ

وَأَصبَحنا بِيُمنِكَ في نُهوضٍ

يُكافِئُ نَهضَةَ النَبتِ الجَميمِ

يُكافِئُ نَهضَةَ النَبتِ الجَميمِ

And through your good fortune we are now on the rise,

And by your auspices we awoke to a revival

Matching the growth of luxuriant plants.

That equals the sprouting of bountiful vegetation

فَحُطنا بِالرِعايَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

فَحُطنا بِالرِعايَةِ كُلَّ يَومٍ

نَحُفُّكَ بِالوَلاءِ المُستَديمِ

نَحُفُّكَ بِالوَلاءِ المُستَديمِ

So surround us with your care each day;

We alight every day with care

We shall surround you with unceasing loyalty.

We circle you with lasting loyalty