وَارَحْمَتَاهُAlas, what pity! لِقَومٍfor a people فَارَقواparted from النِّعَمَاblessings
وَارَحْمَتَاهُ لِقَومٍ فَارَقوا النِّعَمَا
مِنْthrough غَيْرِno ذَنْبٍfault لَهُمْof theirs وَاسْتَقْبَلُواand faced النِّقَمَاcalamities
مِنْ غَيْرِ ذَنْبٍ لَهُمْ وَاسْتَقْبَلُوا النِّقَمَا
Alas for a people who parted from their blessings,
And His mercy upon a people who parted from blessings
Through no fault of their own, and faced calamities.
Without sin of theirs, and met with wrath
وُلاةُproviders أَرْزَاقِهِمْof their sustenance وَلَّوْاdeparted فَمَاso did not رَجَعُواreturn
وُلاةُ أَرْزَاقِهِمْ وَلَّوْا فَمَا رَجَعُوا
وَغَادَرُوهُمْand left them عُرَاةًnaked جُوَّعاًstarving هُضُمَاgaunt
وَغَادَرُوهُمْ عُرَاةً جُوَّعاً هُضُمَا
Their breadwinners departed and did not return,
Rulers of their livelihood turned away, so they did not come back
And left them naked, starving, and gaunt.
And left them naked, hungry, wronged
شُيُوخُهُمْtheir elders وَعَذَارَاهُمْand their maidens وَصِبْيَتُهُمُand their children
شُيُوخُهُمْ وَعَذَارَاهُمْ وَصِبْيَتُهُمُ
ذَاقُواtasted جَمِيعاًall together فِطَامَweaning القَهْرِof coercion وَاليَتَمَاand orphanhood
ذَاقُوا جَمِيعاً فِطَامَ القَهْرِ وَاليَتَمَا
Their elders, their maidens, and their children
Their elders, young women, and children
All tasted forcible weaning and orphanhood.
All tasted the weaning of oppression and orphanhood
فَلَوْso if تَرَقَّبَهُمْwatched them مُسْتَطْلِعٌan observer لَرَأَىwould surely see
فَلَوْ تَرَقَّبَهُمْ مُسْتَطْلِعٌ لَرَأَى
أَشْلاءَtorn limbs حُزْنٍof sorrow مُشَظَّاةًshattered بِكُلِّin every حِمَىrefuge
أَشْلاءَ حُزْنٍ مُشَظَّاةً بِكُلِّ حِمَى
And were an observer to watch them, he would see
If an onlooker were to watch over them, he would see
Limbs of sorrow, shattered in every refuge.
Pieces of sorrow shredded with every fever
لَوْلاwere it not for بَشَاشَةُthe cheer إِيمَانٍof faith تُثَبِّتُهُمْsustaining them
لَوْلا بَشَاشَةُ إِيمَانٍ تُثَبِّتُهُمْ
تَخَيَّرُواthey would have chosen دُونَinstead of تِلْكَthat العِيشَةِlife العَدَمَاnothingness
تَخَيَّرُوا دُونَ تِلْكَ العِيشَةِ العَدَمَا
Were it not for the cheer of faith sustaining them,
Were it not for the cheer of faith that gives them steadfastness
They would have chosen nothingness over that life.
They would have chosen annihilation over that life
مَاwhat حَالُthe plight أُمٍّof a mother لَهَاwho has طِفْلٌa child بِجَانِبِهَاbeside her
مَا حَالُ أُمٍّ لَهَا طِفْلٌ بِجَانِبِهَا
غَيْرَexcept المَدَامِعِtears فِيin يَوْمَيْهِhis two days مَاnot طُعِمَاwas fed
غَيْرَ المَدَامِعِ فِي يَوْمَيْهِ مَا طُعِمَا
What is the plight of a mother with a child beside her,
What is the state of a mother who has a baby beside her
Who for two days has been fed nothing but tears?
With no food but tears during her days?
وَرُضَّعٍand sucklings وَجَدُواfound الأَثْدَاءَthe breasts لاذِعَةًsearing
وَرُضَّعٍ وَجَدُوا الأَثْدَاءَ لاذِعَةً
كَالجَمْرِlike embers فَانْفَطَمُواso were weaned وَاسْتَنْكَرُواand found unfamiliar الحَلَمَاthe nipples
كَالجَمْرِ فَانْفَطَمُوا وَاسْتَنْكَرُوا الحَلَمَا
And of sucklings who found the breasts searing
And suckling babes who found the teats scathing
Like embers, so were weaned and found the nipples strange?
Like embers, so they weaned and deemed the dream impossible
وَغَانِيَاتٍand beautiful women أَبَاحَتْهَاexposed them الخُطُوبُcalamities فَلَوْfor if
وَغَانِيَاتٍ أَبَاحَتْهَا الخُطُوبُ فَلَوْ
لَمْnot تُعْصَمِbeen protected النَّفْسُthe soul سَاءَwas wretched الفَقْرُpoverty مُعْتَصَمَاas a refuge
لَمْ تُعْصَمِ النَّفْسُ سَاءَ الفَقْرُ مُعْتَصَمَا
And of fair women whom calamities exposed? For had
And singers whom hardships made permissible, so if
The soul not been protected, poverty would have been a wretched refuge.
The soul were not protected, destitution would have a protected refuge
وَعَاجِزِينَand the helpless إِذَاwhen لحَاجَاتُneeds ثُرْنَrose up بِهِمْagainst them
وَعَاجِزِينَ إِذَا لحَاجَاتُ ثُرْنَ بِهِمْ
عَاقَتْthwarted قُيُودُthe fetters اللَّيَالِيof the nights مِنْهُمُin them الهِمَمَاresolve
عَاقَتْ قُيُودُ اللَّيَالِي مِنْهُمُ الهِمَمَا
And of the helpless? When needs rise against them,
And the helpless when needs burdened them
The fetters of the nights restrain their resolve.
The shackles of nights incapacitated their resolves
أَشْبَاهُlikenesses مَوْتَىof the dead سِوَىexcept for رُؤْيَاa dream تُرَوِّعُهُمْthat terrifies them
أَشْبَاهُ مَوْتَى سِوَى رُؤْيَا تُرَوِّعُهُمْ
وَرَائِعَاتُand the terrors الرُّؤْىof dreams لاnot تَبْعَثُraise to life الرِّمَمَاdecayed bones
وَرَائِعَاتُ الرُّؤْى لا تَبْعَثُ الرِّمَمَا
They are like the dead, save for a dream that terrifies them,
Like those near dead but for visions that terrify them
Yet terrifying dreams do not resurrect decayed bones.
And terrifying dreams cannot restore vigor
أَولُئِكُمْthose (addressing you all) أهلُthe families مَنْthose who جَادُواgave generously بِأَنْفُسِهِمْof their own lives
أَولُئِكُمْ أهلُ مَنْ جَادُوا بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ
وَخَلَّفُوهُمْand left them behind عَلَىupon أَوْطَانِهِمْtheir homelands ذِمَمَاas charges
وَخَلَّفُوهُمْ عَلَى أَوْطَانِهِمْ ذِمَمَا
Those are the families of those who gave their lives,
Those are the people of one who was generous with himself
And left them as charges upon their homelands.
And left them in their homelands, liable
شَكَواthey lamented إِلَىto مِصْرَEgypt مَاwhat عَانُوهُthey endured it فَاسْتَمَعَتْso she listened
شَكَوا إِلَى مِصْرَ مَا عَانُوهُ فَاسْتَمَعَتْ
وَمَنْand whoever شَكَاlamented فَدَعَاthen called upon مِصْراًEgypt دَعَاcalled upon الكَرَمَاgenerosity
وَمَنْ شَكَا فَدَعَا مِصْراً دَعَا الكَرَمَا
They lamented to Egypt what they had suffered, and she listened.
They complained to Egypt of their suffering, so she listened
And whoever laments and calls on Egypt calls on generosity.
And whoever complains to Egypt invokes benevolence
جَادَتْshe gave generously بِمَاwith what أَخجَلَput to shame التَّيَّارَthe torrent مُنْدَفِقاًsurging
جَادَتْ بِمَا أَخجَلَ التَّيَّارَ مُنْدَفِقاً
وَالسُّحْبُand the clouds هَاطِلَةًpouring وَالْغَيْثُand the rain مُنْسَجِمَاstreaming down
وَالسُّحْبُ هَاطِلَةً وَالْغَيْثُ مُنْسَجِمَا
She gave what put the surging torrent to shame,
She gave with what embarrassed the gushing currents
And the pouring clouds, and the streaming rain.
And pouring clouds and accompanying rain
للهِto God belongs دَرُّthe excellence بَنِيهَاof her sons الأَسْخِيَاءِthe generous فَهُمْfor they
للهِ دَرُّ بَنِيهَا الأَسْخِيَاءِ فَهُمْ
إِذَاwhen انْبَرَوْاcame forward للنَّدَىfor generosity بَزُّواoutstripped بِهِin it الأُمَمَاthe nations
إِذَا انْبَرَوْا للنَّدَى بَزُّوا بِهِ الأُمَمَا
God bless her generous sons! For they,
God’s gift are her noble children, for when
When they come forward to give, surpass the nations in generosity.
They set out to give, they outdid all nations
عَبَّاسُAbbas قُدْوَتُهُمْtheir model فِيهِin it وَهُمْand they تَبَعٌfollowers
عَبَّاسُ قُدْوَتُهُمْ فِيهِ وَهُمْ تَبَعٌ
كَالرَّأْسِlike the head وَالجِسْمِand the body نِعْمَhow excellent الصَّاحِبَانِthe two companions هُمَاthey both
كَالرَّأْسِ وَالجِسْمِ نِعْمَ الصَّاحِبَانِ هُمَا
Abbas is their model in this, and they are his followers,
Abbas is their role model, and they his followers
Like head and body—what excellent companions they are!
Like the head and body, excellent companions they are
رَعَىmay He protect الإِلهُGod مَلِيكاًa king جُلُّthe chief part بُغْيَتِهِof his desire
رَعَى الإِلهُ مَلِيكاً جُلُّ بُغْيَتِهِ
أَنْto يُعْلِيexalt الحَقَّtruth أَوْor أَنْto يَكْشِفَdispel الغُمَمَاsorrows
أَنْ يُعْلِي الحَقَّ أَوْ أَنْ يَكْشِفَ الغُمَمَا
May God protect a king whose foremost wish
God protected the king whose sole ambition
Is to exalt truth or dispel sorrows.
Is to elevate truth and reveal the clouds
إِذَاwhen تَعَاظَمَتِgrew immense الجُلَّىthe great calamity فَنَائِلُهُthen his bounty
إِذَا تَعَاظَمَتِ الجُلَّى فَنَائِلُهُ
تَرَاهُyou see it فَوْقَbeyond مَرَامِيthe furthest reaches الفَضْلِof generosity قَدْindeed عَظُمَاhas grown great
تَرَاهُ فَوْقَ مَرَامِي الفَضْلِ قَدْ عَظُمَا
When calamity grows immense, his bounty—
When glories grow great, its attainer
You see it grown great beyond the furthest reach of generosity.
You see above the highest points of virtue made great
وَكَافَأَand rewarded الحَمْدُpraise أُمَّthe mother المُحْسِنِينَof benefactors بِمَاfor what
وَكَافَأَ الحَمْدُ أُمَّ المُحْسِنِينَ بِمَا
أَولَتْshe bestowed فَأَغْلَتْand gave beyond measure فَرَاعَso it amazed العُرْبَthe Arabs وَالعَجَمَاand non-Arabs
أَولَتْ فَأَغْلَتْ فَرَاعَ العُرْبَ وَالعَجَمَا
And praise rewarded the mother of benefactors for what
And praise rewarded the mother of benefactors with what
She bestowed so lavishly that it amazed Arabs and non-Arabs.
She initiated, so it overwhelmed the Arabs and non-Arabs
أَلْقَتْshe cast عَلَىupon الدَّهْرِtime ذِكْراًa remembrance مِنْfrom عَوَارِفِهَاher benefactions
أَلْقَتْ عَلَى الدَّهْرِ ذِكْراً مِنْ عَوَارِفِهَا
يُعَطِّرُperfumes الْكَوْنَthe universe وَالأَرْوَاحَand the souls وَالنَّسَمَاand the breezes
يُعَطِّرُ الْكَوْنَ وَالأَرْوَاحَ وَالنَّسَمَا
She cast upon time a remembrance of her benefactions,
She conferred upon eternity a fragrance from her noble deeds
Perfuming the universe, the souls, and the breezes.
That aromates existence, souls, and zephyr
هِيَshe المُرُوءةُnobility تُعْطِيgives وَالوَفَاءُand fidelity يَفِيkeeps faith
هِيَ المُرُوءةُ تُعْطِي وَالوَفَاءُ يَفِي
وَرَسْمُهَاand her image السَّعْدُhappiness مَحْجُوباًveiled وَمُبْتَسِمَاand smiling
وَرَسْمُهَا السَّعْدُ مَحْجُوباً وَمُبْتَسِمَا
She is nobility giving, and fidelity keeping faith;
It is gallantry to give and loyalty to fulfill
And her image is happiness, veiled and smiling.
And her crest is veiled bliss and a smile
عَاشَتْmay she live وَقَرَّتْand take joy بِنَجْلَيْهَاin her two sons وَأُمَّتِهّاand her nation
عَاشَتْ وَقَرَّتْ بِنَجْلَيْهَا وَأُمَّتِهّا
وَبِالسرُورَينِand in both joys مَبْذُولاًbestowed وَمَغْتَنَمَاand gained
وَبِالسرُورَينِ مَبْذُولاً وَمَغْتَنَمَا
May she live and take joy in her two sons and her nation,
She lived and settled with her two feet and her nation
And in both joys—the joy bestowed and the joy received.
Freely given andfortunately gained bliss
وَلْتَحْيَand may she live مِصْرُEgypt فَمَاfor she has not زَالَتْceased to be كَمَاas عُهِدَتْshe was known
وَلْتَحْيَ مِصْرُ فَمَا زَالَتْ كَمَا عُهِدَتْ
كَهْفاًa sheltering cave لِقَاصِدِهَاfor whoever seeks her غَوْثاًsuccor لِمَنْfor whoever أُزِمَاwas distressed
كَهْفاً لِقَاصِدِهَا غَوْثاً لِمَنْ أُزِمَا
And long live Egypt, for she remains as she has been known:
So may Egypt live! For she remains as she was known
A sheltering cave for those who seek her, succor for those in distress.
A refuge for her seekers, succor for the anguished
تَنَاوَلَتْshe reached out to كُلَّevery مَلْهُوفٍanguished person بِرَحْمَتِهَاwith her mercy
تَنَاوَلَتْ كُلَّ مَلْهُوفٍ بِرَحْمَتِهَا
وَاللهُand God يَرحَمُshows mercy فِيin الدَّارَيْنِboth worlds مَنْwhoever رَحِمَاhas shown mercy
وَاللهُ يَرحَمُ فِي الدَّارَيْنِ مَنْ رَحِمَا
She has reached out to everyone in anguish with her mercy,
She tended to every distraught soul with her mercy
And God shows mercy in both worlds to those who show mercy.
And God shows mercy to those who showed mercy in both abodes.
Sol 6.1