قَلَّis little فِيin جَنْبِcomparison with فَضْلِكَyour bounty المَوْفُورِabundant
قَلَّ فِي جَنْبِ فَضْلِكَ المَوْفُورِ
مَاwhat تَرَىyou see مِنْof تَجِلَّةٍreverence وَشُكُورِand gratitude
مَا تَرَى مِنْ تَجِلَّةٍ وَشُكُورِ
Small beside your abundant bounty
Little light is shed by your abundant grace,
is the reverence and gratitude you see.
On what splendor and gratitude you see.
وَكَفَىand suffices for مِصْرَEgypt مِنْamong أَيَادِيكَyour favors فِيهَاin her
وَكَفَى مِصْرَ مِنْ أَيَادِيكَ فِيهَا
أَنَّthat عَهْدَthe age of الْفُنُونِthe arts عَهْدُan age of نُشُورِrebirth
أَنَّ عَهْدَ الْفُنُونِ عَهْدُ نُشُورِ
And for Egypt, this suffices among your favors to her:
Egypt has had enough from your hands,
that the age of the arts is an age of rebirth.
That the age of arts is an age of awakening.
حَبَّذَاhow splendid هَذِهِthis الْحَفَاوَةُwarm welcome مِنْfrom
حَبَّذَا هَذِهِ الْحَفَاوَةُ مِنْ
خِيرَةِthe finest of فِتْيَانِهَاher young men بِخَيْرِto the best نَصِيرِchampion
خِيرَةِ فِتْيَانِهَا بِخَيْرِ نَصِيرِ
How splendid this warm welcome from
How excellent is this care from the elite
her finest young men to the best of champions!
Of its youth by the best ally.
طَلَعُواthey rose كَالكَوَاكِبِlike the stars الزُّهْرِradiant لَمْdid not
طَلَعُوا كَالكَوَاكِبِ الزُّهْرِ لَمْ
يَحْجُبْveil سَنَاهَاtheir radiance جِوَارُthe nearness of أَزْهَىthe brightest of الْبُدُورِthe full moons
يَحْجُبْ سَنَاهَا جِوَارُ أَزْهَى الْبُدُورِ
They rose like radiant stars; not
They rose like stars of flowers that never
even the brightest full moon's nearness veiled their glow.
Had their radiance veiled by brilliant moons.
أَيwhat مَجْدٍglory فِيin أُفْقِهِمْtheir horizon وَسِعَتْهُencompassed it
أَي مَجْدٍ فِي أُفْقِهِمْ وَسِعَتْهُ
دَارَةٌa circle وهْوَthough it is مَالِيءُfilling المَعْمُورِthe inhabited world
دَارَةٌ وهْوَ مَالِيءُ المَعْمُورِ
What glory in their firmament is held
What glory within their horizons contained
within a circle, though it fills the inhabited world!
Capacious dwelling, while filled prosperously!
وَدَّwished أَهْلُpeople of النُّهىunderstanding لَوِif only اجْتَمَعُواthey gathered مِنْfrom
وَدَّ أَهْلُ النُّهى لَوِ اجْتَمَعُوا مِنْ
كُلِّevery حَدْبٍquarter لِبَثِّto pour out مَاwhat فِيin الصُّدُورِthe breasts
كُلِّ حَدْبٍ لِبَثِّ مَا فِي الصُّدُورِ
The wise wished they could gather from
The people of chivalry, if gathered
every quarter to pour out what lay in their breasts,
From every dune to reveal what’s inside hearts,
كَتَلاقِيlike the meeting of الْحَجِيجِthe pilgrims فِيin رَحَبَاتِthe spacious courts of
كَتَلاقِي الْحَجِيجِ فِي رَحَبَاتِ
الْبَيْتِthe House بيْنَamid التَّهلِيلِdeclaring 'There is no god but God' وَالتَّكْبِيرِand proclaiming 'God is greatest'
الْبَيْتِ بيْنَ التَّهلِيلِ وَالتَّكْبِيرِ
like pilgrims meeting in the spacious courts
Like pilgrims meeting in the vast courtyards
of the House, amid proclamations of God's oneness and greatness.
Of the House amid praises and proclaiming God’s greatness.
يُوسُفَYusuf النُّبلِnobility طَارِفاًnewly acquired وَتَلِيداًand inherited
يُوسُفَ النُّبلِ طَارِفاً وَتَلِيداً
شَرَفاًin honor يَاO أَمِيرُprince يَاO ابْنَson of الأَمِيرِthe prince
شَرَفاً يَا أَمِيرُ يَا ابْنَ الأَمِيرِ
Yusuf, noble in new-won and ancestral
O noble Joseph, gentle and refined,
honor—O prince, O son of the prince!
Glory to you my prince descendant of a prince.
جَدُّكَyour grandfather الجَدُّthe illustrious one لاحَshone فِيon أُفْقِthe horizon of مِصْرٍEgypt
جَدُّكَ الجَدُّ لاحَ فِي أُفْقِ مِصْرٍ
فَأَدَالَand gave victory to السَّنىradiance مِنَover الدَّيْجُورِpitch-black darkness
فَأَدَالَ السَّنى مِنَ الدَّيْجُورِ
Your illustrious grandfather shone on Egypt's horizon,
Your ancestor shone in Egypt’s horizon,
and gave radiance victory over deepest darkness.
So time passed by trivially.
هَكَذَاthus يَنْبُغُrises to eminence الْحَفِيدُthe grandson كَبِيراًgreat
هَكَذَا يَنْبُغُ الْحَفِيدُ كَبِيراً
يَتَمَشَّىwalking فِيin إِثْرِthe footsteps of جَدٍّa grandfather كَبِيرِillustrious
يَتَمَشَّى فِي إِثْرِ جَدٍّ كَبِيرِ
Thus does the grandson rise to greatness,
Thus the grandson ought to walk
walking in the footsteps of an illustrious grandfather
In the steps of a great grandfather.
وَأَبٌand a father كَانَwas مَعْقِلاًa stronghold يَلْجَأُseeks refuge الحُرُّthe free man
وَأَبٌ كَانَ مَعْقِلاً يَلْجَأُ الحُرُّ
إِلَيْهِto him وَمَوْئِلاًand a refuge لِلفَقِيرِfor the poor
إِلَيْهِ وَمَوْئِلاً لِلفَقِيرِ
and a father who was a fortress to which the free man
A father who was a fortress for the freeman
would flee, and a refuge for the poor.
To seek refuge, and shelter for the poor.
كُلُّevery أَمْرٍundertaking وُلِّيتَهُyou were entrusted with it أَنْجَحَتْهُmade it succeed
كُلُّ أَمْرٍ وُلِّيتَهُ أَنْجَحَتْهُ
هِمَمٌlofty ambitions صُرِّفَتْwere managed بِعَزْمٍwith resolve الأُمُورِaffairs
هِمَمٌ صُرِّفَتْ بِعَزْمٍ الأُمُورِ
Every undertaking entrusted to you was brought to success
Every matter you took charge of, you accomplished,
by lofty ambitions, with affairs resolutely managed.
With determined resolves managing affairs.
وَعَظِيمُand great النَّجاحِsuccess يَصْدُرُsprings عَنْfrom رَأْhead (beginning)
وَعَظِيمُ النَّجاحِ يَصْدُرُ عَنْ رَأْ
سٍhead (ending) حَكِيمٍwise وَعَنْand from فُؤادٍa heart غَيُورِzealous
سٍ حَكِيمٍ وَعَنْ فُؤادٍ غَيُورِ
And great success springs from a
And great success comes from a wise head
wise head and a zealous heart.
And a zealous heart.
لَكَyours فِيin نَهْضَةِthe awakening of الشَّبابِthe youth أَيَادfavors
لَكَ فِي نَهْضَةِ الشَّبابِ أَيَاد
سَجَّلتْهَاrecorded them الْعَلىglory بِأَحْرُفِin letters of نُورِlight
سَجَّلتْهَا الْعَلى بِأَحْرُفِ نُورِ
Your benefactions in the awakening of youth
For the youth awakening you have hands,
glory has inscribed in letters of light.
That the Most High recorded in letters of light.
وَبِسَاحَاتِand in the courts of جُوِدكَyour generosity اتَّحدَتْunited غَاaims (beginning)
وَبِسَاحَاتِ جُوِدكَ اتَّحدَتْ غَا
يَاتُهُمْtheir aims (ending) فِيin طِلابِpursuit of أَسْمَىthe loftiest مَصِيرِdestiny
يَاتُهُمْ فِي طِلابِ أَسْمَى مَصِيرِ
And in the courts of your generosity were united
And by your generosity their aspirations united
their aims in pursuit of the loftiest destiny.
In seeking the highest destiny.
لَمْnot تُعَلِّمْهُمُyou taught them المَسَاعِيَendeavors إِلاَّexcept
لَمْ تُعَلِّمْهُمُ المَسَاعِيَ إِلاَّ
وَمَدَىand the reach of الْعَزْمِresolve لَيْسَis not بِالمَحْصُورِat all bounded
وَمَدَى الْعَزْمِ لَيْسَ بِالمَحْصُورِ
You taught them to strive only
You taught them nothing but perseverance,
with resolve whose reach knows no bounds.
And the extent of determination knows no bounds.
تَطْرُدُyou pursue الْوَحْشَwild beasts فِيin بَعِيدِthe far reaches of المَوَامِيthe deserts
تَطْرُدُ الْوَحْشَ فِي بَعِيدِ المَوَامِي
لاnot تُبَالِيyou care about لِقَاءَmeeting لَيْثٍa lion هَصُورِfierce
لا تُبَالِي لِقَاءَ لَيْثٍ هَصُورِ
You pursue wild beasts through distant deserts,
You banish fear in the distant wilds,
unafraid of meeting a fierce lion.
Not fearing the meeting of a hissing lion.
أَيُّwhat عَيْشٍlife فَانٍfleeting يَطِيبُis pleasing لِذِيfor one of قَدْstanding (beginning)
أَيُّ عَيْشٍ فَانٍ يَطِيبُ لِذِي قَدْ
رٍstanding (ending) خَطِيرٍhigh بِغَيْرِwithout مَعْنىًa purpose خَطِيرِlofty
رٍ خَطِيرٍ بِغَيْرِ مَعْنىً خَطِيرِ
What fleeting life can please a man of
What transient life tastes good enough
high standing without a lofty purpose?
For one with great competence without great meaning?
بِكَthrough you رُدَّتْwas restored إِلىto الْفُنُونِthe arts حَيَاةٌlife
بِكَ رُدَّتْ إِلى الْفُنُونِ حَيَاةٌ
فارَقَتْهَاhad left them فِيin مِصْرَEgypt مُنْذُsince عُصُورِages
فارَقَتْهَا فِي مِصْرَ مُنْذُ عُصُورِ
Through you, the arts regained the life
By you, life returned to the arts,
that had left them in Egypt ages ago.
After leaving Egypt for ages.
فَأَعَادَتْso restored يَدَاكَyour two hands فَخْراًa glory تَوَلَّتْdeparted
فَأَعَادَتْ يَدَاكَ فَخْراً تَوَلَّتْ
بِبَقَايَاهُwith its remnants سَالِفَاتُbygone الدُّهُورِthe ages
بِبَقَايَاهُ سَالِفَاتُ الدُّهُورِ
So your hands restored a glory whose
Thus your hands restored a pride that
remnants bygone ages had carried away.
Previous eras had ruined remnants of.
لَكَyours نَظْمٌa poem فِيof المَكْرُمَاتِnoble deeds بَدِيعٌwondrous
لَكَ نَظْمٌ فِي المَكْرُمَاتِ بَدِيعٌ
شِعْرُهُits verse نَمَّrevealed عَنْof أَرَقِّthe tenderest الشُّعورِfeeling
شِعْرُهُ نَمَّ عَنْ أَرَقِّ الشُّعورِ
Yours is a wondrous poem of noble deeds;
You have a beautiful system in giving generously
its verse reveals the tenderest feeling.
Its poetry grew from the most sublime emotions.
تَتَحَلَّىadorn themselves فِيهِwithin it المَعَانِيَthe meanings بِأَمْثَاwith the likes of (beginning)
تَتَحَلَّى فِيهِ المَعَانِيَ بِأَمْثَا
لِlikes (ending) عُقُودِnecklaces of الْفَرِيدِchoice pearls حَوْلَaround النُّحورِthe necks
لِ عُقُودِ الْفَرِيدِ حَوْلَ النُّحورِ
In it, meanings adorn themselves
In it, meanings are adorned with examples,
as with necklaces of choice pearls around necks.
Like unique necklaces around necks.
كُلَّevery يَوْمٍday تَجِدُّarises anew فِيهِin it لِقَوْمٍfor some people
كُلَّ يَوْمٍ تَجِدُّ فِيهِ لِقَوْمٍ
آيَةٌa sign مِنْof صَنِيعِكَyour beneficence المَبْرُورِpraiseworthy
آيَةٌ مِنْ صَنِيعِكَ المَبْرُورِ
Each day, for some people, there appears
Every day for some people you find
a fresh sign of your praiseworthy kindness.
A sign of your blessed work.
فَتُرَىso you are seen كُلَّماwhenever اسْتَجَارَsought refuge لَهِيفٌone in distress
فَتُرَى كُلَّما اسْتَجَارَ لَهِيفٌ
مُسْتَجِيباًresponding لِدَعْوَةِto the plea of المُسْتَجِيرِthe seeker of refuge
مُسْتَجِيباً لِدَعْوَةِ المُسْتَجِيرِ
So you are seen, whenever someone in distress seeks refuge,
You are thus seen, whenever a wretch seeks help,
answering the plea of the one who seeks protection.
Responding to the plea of one pleading.
وَتُرَىand you are seen بَانِياًbuilding لِبَيْتٍfor a house تَدَاعَىcrumbled
وَتُرَى بَانِياً لِبَيْتٍ تَدَاعَى
أَوْor تُرَىyou are seen جابِراًmending لِقَلْبٍfor a heart كَسِيرِbroken
أَوْ تُرَى جابِراً لِقَلْبٍ كَسِيرِ
And you are seen rebuilding a crumbling house,
And you are seen building a home fallen apart
or seen mending a broken heart.
Or mending a broken heart.
لَسْتُI am not أَنْسَىforgetting يَداًa hand عَمرْتَyou rebuilt بِهَاwith it فِيin الشَّاal-Sham (beginning)
لَسْتُ أَنْسَى يَداً عَمرْتَ بِهَا فِي الشَّا
مِal-Sham (ending) مَاwhat قَوَّضَتْdemolished يَدُthe hand of التَّدْمِيرِdestruction
مِ مَا قَوَّضَتْ يَدُ التَّدْمِيرِ
I do not forget the hand with which you rebuilt in
I do not forget the hand you used to rebuild
al-Sham what the hand of destruction had torn down.
What the hand of destruction had corroded.
بَرَدَىBarada حَوْلَهُaround it نُفُوسٌsouls حِرَارٌfree
بَرَدَى حَوْلَهُ نُفُوسٌ حِرَارٌ
لَيْسَnot تُرْوَىare quenched بِالسَّلسَبِيلِby sweet-flowing water النَّميرِlimpid
لَيْسَ تُرْوَى بِالسَّلسَبِيلِ النَّميرِ
Barada—around it are free souls,
Around it souls of warmth that cannot be cooled
whose thirst no sweet, limpid water quenches.
By easy water were recovered.
جَاءَهَاcame to them مِنْfrom نَدَاكَyour bounty أَشْفَىmore healing مِنَthan
جَاءَهَا مِنْ نَدَاكَ أَشْفَى مِنَ
الْبَلْسَمِbalm لِلْجُرْحِfor a wound وَالنَّدَىand dew لِلسَّعيرِfor a blaze
الْبَلْسَمِ لِلْجُرْحِ وَالنَّدَى لِلسَّعيرِ
From your bounty came to them something more healing than
From your help, more healing than balm
balm to a wound and dew to a blazing fire:
For a wound, and dew for inflammation came to them.
كَرَمٌgenerosity زَادَهُenhanced it التَّلطُّفgraciousness حَتَّىso that
كَرَمٌ زَادَهُ التَّلطُّف حَتَّى
لَقَلِيلُindeed, a little الْعَطَاءِgiving فَوْقabove الْكَثِيرِmuch
لَقَلِيلُ الْعَطَاءِ فَوْق الْكَثِيرِ
generosity so enhanced by graciousness that
Generosity, increased by graciousness, until
even a little giving surpasses much.
The little given is more than plenty.
عِشْlive لِمِصْرٍfor Egypt بَلْnay كُلِّevery مِصْرٍcity وَلِلشَّرْand for the East (beginning)
عِشْ لِمِصْرٍ بَلْ كُلِّ مِصْرٍ وَلِلشَّرْ
قِEast (ending) جَمِيعاًin its entirety فِيin غِبْطَةٍhappiness وَحُبُورِand joy
قِ جَمِيعاً فِي غِبْطَةٍ وَحُبُورِ
Live for Egypt—nay, for every city—and for the
Live for Egypt and every Egypt and the East
whole East, in happiness and joy,
Altogether in joy and bliss.
مُتْبِعاًfollowing فِيin الْعَلْيَاءِthe heights of glory كُلَّevery قَدِيمٍpast deed
مُتْبِعاً فِي الْعَلْيَاءِ كُلَّ قَدِيمٍ
بِجَدِيدٍwith a new one مِنْfrom فَضْلِكَyour bounty المَشْكُورgratefully acknowledged
بِجَدِيدٍ مِنْ فَضْلِكَ المَشْكُور
following each past deed upon glory's heights
Following in supreme matters each elder
with a new one from your gratefully acknowledged bounty.
With something new of your thanked grace.
Sol 6.1