لَقِيَتْكَmet you مِصْرُEgypt بِثَغْرِهَاwith her lips المُتَبَسِّمِsmiling
لَقِيَتْكَ مِصْرُ بِثَغْرِهَا المُتَبَسِّمِ
وَتَنَوَّرَتْand was illumined بِضِيَائِكِby your radiance المُتَوَسَّمِanticipated
وَتَنَوَّرَتْ بِضِيَائِكِ المُتَوَسَّمِ
Egypt met you with her smiling lips,
Egypt met you with her smiling face,
And was illumined by your anticipated radiance.
And was illuminated by your distinguished light.
وَجَرَىand flowed عَلَىover مُتَلَهِّيٍan inflamed part مِنْof جُرْحِهَاher wound
وَجَرَى عَلَى مُتَلَهِّيٍ مِنْ جُرْحِهَا
شَافِيthe healing power نَدَاكَof your bounty فَكَانَso it was أَلْطَفَthe gentlest بَلْسَمِbalm
شَافِي نَدَاكَ فَكَانَ أَلْطَفَ بَلْسَمِ
And over the inflamed part of her wound flowed
Your healing call flowed to her wounds,
Your healing bounty, which proved the gentlest balm.
Being the gentlest balm.
لَمْdid not تَقْتَضِيهَاdemand of her زِينَةًadornment فَازّيَنَتْso she adorned herself
لَمْ تَقْتَضِيهَا زِينَةً فَازّيَنَتْ
بِخُلُوصِهَاwith her sincerity فِيin وُدِّهَاher affection المُتَكَتَّمِconcealed
بِخُلُوصِهَا فِي وُدِّهَا المُتَكَتَّمِ
You asked no adornment of her, yet she adorned herself
You did not ask her for adornment, so she adorned herself
With the sincerity of her unspoken affection.
With her sincerity in her concealed love.
واللهand God يَعْلَمُknows مَاwhat حَزَازَةُanguish مُكْرَهٍone compelled
والله يَعْلَمُ مَا حَزَازَةُ مُكْرَهٍ
سِيمَwas forced into الريَاءَhypocrisy وَمَاand what مَرَارَةَbitterness مُرْغَمِone coerced
سِيمَ الريَاءَ وَمَا مَرَارَةَ مُرْغَمِ
And God knows the anguish of one compelled
And Allah knows the bitterness of resentment,
To dissemble, and the bitterness of one coerced.
The evil of ostentation and the bitterness of coercion.
للهِto God (in admiration) مَوْكِبُكِyour procession السَّنِيُsplendid وَحَوْلَهُand around it
للهِ مَوْكِبُكِ السَّنِيُ وَحَوْلَهُ
شَعْبٌa people إِذَاwhen فَدَّاكَthey sacrifice themselves for you لَمْdo not يَتَكَلَّمِspeak
شَعْبٌ إِذَا فَدَّاكَ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمِ
How wondrous your splendid procession! Around it is
The venerable procession is for Allah, and around it
A people who, when giving their lives for you, speak no word.
A people, if they sacrifice for you, will not utter a word.
مِلَلٌreligious communities تُحِيطُsurround بِهِit وَقَدْرُكِand your worth وَاحِدٌthe same
مِلَلٌ تُحِيطُ بِهِ وَقَدْرُكِ وَاحِدٌ
فِيin نَفْسِthe heart نَصْرَانِيهَاof her Christian وَالمُسْلِمِand the Muslim
فِي نَفْسِ نَصْرَانِيهَا وَالمُسْلِمِ
Communities of faith surround it; your worth is the same
There are troubles surrounding it, yet your destiny is one
In the heart of her Christian and her Muslim.
In the souls of its Christians and Muslims.
لَكِto you هَامُهَاtheir heads تَعْنُوbow وَجَاهُكَand your dignity فَوْقَهَاabove them
لَكِ هَامُهَا تَعْنُو وَجَاهُكَ فَوْقَهَا
تَاجٌa crown يُشِيرُpoints إِلَيْهِto it كُلُّevery مُسَلِّمِone offering greetings
تَاجٌ يُشِيرُ إِلَيْهِ كُلُّ مُسَلِّمِ
Their heads bow to you; your dignity above them
Their ideals bow to you, and your status is above them,
Is a crown to which everyone offering greetings points.
A crown to which every Muslim points.
أَهلاًwelcome بِأُمto the mother المُحْسِنِينَof benefactors وَمَرْحَباًand welcome
أَهلاً بِأُم المُحْسِنِينَ وَمَرْحَباً
بِالطُّهْرِto purity يَبْرُزُappearing فِيin المِثَالِthe form الأَوْسَمِfairest
بِالطُّهْرِ يَبْرُزُ فِي المِثَالِ الأَوْسَمِ
Welcome to the mother of benefactors, and welcome
Welcome O mother of benefactors, and greetings
To purity appearing in its fairest form.
To the virtue which shines as the finest example.
مَاnot الرَّوْضُthe garden فِيin اسْتِقْبَالِهِits welcoming شَمْسَthe sun الضُّحَىof midmorning
مَا الرَّوْضُ فِي اسْتِقْبَالِهِ شَمْسَ الضُّحَى
تَفْتَرُّsmiling forth بَعْدَafter العَارِضِthe cloud المُتَجَهِّمِscowling
تَفْتَرُّ بَعْدَ العَارِضِ المُتَجَهِّمِ
No garden, welcoming the midmorning sun
The garden is not, after the passing clouds,
As it smiles forth after the scowling cloud,
More beautiful in receiving the sun at dawn,
بِأَتَمَّmore perfect حُسْناًin beauty مِنْthan وِضَاءِradiant women أُسْرَةٍof a household
بِأَتَمَّ حُسْناً مِنْ وِضَاءِ أُسْرَةٍ
يَبْرُقْنَthey shine فِيin اسْتِقْبَالِwelcoming وَجْهِthe face المُنْعِمِof the benefactor
يَبْرُقْنَ فِي اسْتِقْبَالِ وَجْهِ المُنْعِمِ
Is more perfect in beauty than a household's radiant women
Than your most perfect beauty, from the radiance
Shining as they welcome their benefactor's face.
Of faces shining to receive the Bestower.
أَقْبَلْتَyou came إِقْبَالَlike the coming الزَّمَانِof time وَكُلُّهُand all of it
أَقْبَلْتَ إِقْبَالَ الزَّمَانِ وَكُلُّهُ
غُرَرٌbright days تَسُرُّgladden عَوْدَthe return المَوْسِمِof the season
غُرَرٌ تَسُرُّ عَوْدَ المَوْسِمِ
You came as time itself comes, and all of it is
You came in the manner of auspicious times, and they are all
Bright days that gladden the season's return.
Joys that delight the return of the season.
فَرَأَيْتِso you saw مِنْin صِدْقِsincerity التَّجِلَّةِof reverence خَيْرَthe finest مَاthat which
فَرَأَيْتِ مِنْ صِدْقِ التَّجِلَّةِ خَيْرَ مَا
يُهْدَىis offered إِلَىto ذَاكَthat المَقَامِstation الأَعْظَمِmost exalted
يُهْدَى إِلَى ذَاكَ المَقَامِ الأَعْظَمِ
So you saw in sincere reverence the finest that
You saw in the sincerity of the reception the best
Is offered to that most exalted station.
Of what is gifted to that greatest station,
وَسَمِعْتِand you heard صَوْتَthe voice الحَقِّof truth مِنْfrom مُتَرَنِّمٍa singer
وَسَمِعْتِ صَوْتَ الحَقِّ مِنْ مُتَرَنِّمٍ
إِلاَّexcept بِوَحِيِthrough the inspiration الصِّدْقِof sincerity لَمْdid not يَتَرَنَّمِsing
إِلاَّ بِوَحِيِ الصِّدْقِ لَمْ يَتَرَنَّمِ
And heard the voice of truth from a singer
And you heard the voice of truth from one chanting,
Who sang only at the prompting of sincerity.
Who did not chant except with the revelation of honesty.
سِيَّانَalike مَبْدُؤُهُhis beginning وَآخِرُand the end عَهْدِهِof his days
سِيَّانَ مَبْدُؤُهُ وَآخِرُ عَهْدِهِ
فِيin رَعْيهِhis regard لِذِمَامِهِfor his pledge المُتَقَدمِlongstanding
فِي رَعْيهِ لِذِمَامِهِ المُتَقَدمِ
His beginning and the end of his days are alike
Its beginning and end are equal in his caring
In his keeping of his longstanding pledge.
For the flock he led early on.
وَالعَصْرُand the age قَدْmay يَجِدُconsider التَّحَوُّلُchange فِطْنَةًcleverness
وَالعَصْرُ قَدْ يَجِدُ التَّحَوُّلُ فِطْنَةً
وَيَرَىand regard الحِفَاظَfidelity لُزُومَas adherence مَاto what لَمْdoes not يَلْزَمِbind
وَيَرَى الحِفَاظَ لُزُومَ مَا لَمْ يَلْزَمِ
And the age may consider change to be cleverness,
And the age may find transformation to be prudent
And regard fidelity as clinging to what is not binding.
And see guarding what was not guarded as necessary.
دَهْرٌan age أَذمَّproved blameworthy لأَهْلِهِto its people وَمَلأْتِهِand you filled it
دَهْرٌ أَذمَّ لأَهْلِهِ وَمَلأْتِهِ
بِالمَحْمَدَاتِwith praiseworthy deeds فَعَادَso it became غَيْرُnot مُذَمَّمِblamed
بِالمَحْمَدَاتِ فَعَادَ غَيْرُ مُذَمَّمِ
An age that failed its people—you filled it
An age that censured its people, but you filled it
With praiseworthy deeds, so it was blamed no more.
With praiseworthy deeds, so it returned free of blame.
لاno بِدْعَwonder إِنْif كَانَis الثَّنَاءُpraise عَلَيْكِof you فِيin
لا بِدْعَ إِنْ كَانَ الثَّنَاءُ عَلَيْكِ فِي
لَفْظِthe speech اللسَانِof the tongue وَفِيand in مِدَادِthe ink المِرْقَمِof the writing pen
لَفْظِ اللسَانِ وَفِي مِدَادِ المِرْقَمِ
No wonder if praise of you is in
There is no innovation if praising you is in
The tongue's speech and the writing-pen's ink.
The words of the tongue and the ink of the pen.
فَنَدَاكَfor your bounty يَجْرِيflows فِيin اليَرَاعَةِthe reed pen نَافِثاًbreathing forth
فَنَدَاكَ يَجْرِي فِي اليَرَاعَةِ نَافِثاً
مِنْsome of سِحْرِهِits magic وَسَدَاكِand your beneficence يَنْطُقُspeaks فِيin الفَمِthe mouth
مِنْ سِحْرِهِ وَسَدَاكِ يَنْطُقُ فِي الفَمِ
For your bounty flows through the reed pen, breathing forth
So your call flows freely in expression,
Some of its magic, and your beneficence speaks through the mouth.
As though it is magic, and you speak in the mouth.
مَاذَاwhat أُعَدِّدُshall I enumerate مِنْof مَآثِرِكِyour noble deeds الَّتِيwhich
مَاذَا أُعَدِّدُ مِنْ مَآثِرِكِ الَّتِي
هِيَthey بِالتَّعَدُّدِin multitude وَالسَّنَىand radiance كَالأَنْجُمِare like the stars
هِيَ بِالتَّعَدُّدِ وَالسَّنَى كَالأَنْجُمِ
What shall I recount of your noble deeds, which
What should I list of your achievements which
Are like the stars in multitude and radiance?
Are like the stars in their multitude and glory?
لَوْif حُصِّلَتْwere collected أَسْمَاؤُهَاtheir names لاسْتَنْفَدَتْwould surely exhaust
لَوْ حُصِّلَتْ أَسْمَاؤُهَا لاسْتَنْفَدَتْ
دُرَّthe pearls المُحِيطِof the ocean وَمُفْرَدَاتِand the words المُعْجَمِof the dictionary
دُرَّ المُحِيطِ وَمُفْرَدَاتِ المُعْجَمِ
If their names were collected, they would exhaust
If their names were collected, they would exhaust
The ocean's pearls and the dictionary's words.
The pearls of the sea and the words of the dictionary.
كَمْhow many مِنْof يَدٍa helping hand لَكِof yours قَدْindeed أَقَالَتْremedied عَثْرَةًa stumble
كَمْ مِنْ يَدٍ لَكِ قَدْ أَقَالَتْ عَثْرَةً
مِنْfrom حَيْثُwhere لَمْwas not تُظْنَنْexpected يَدٌa hand أَوْor تُعْلَمِknown
مِنْ حَيْثُ لَمْ تُظْنَنْ يَدٌ أَوْ تُعْلَمِ
How many a hand of yours has helped one who stumbled
How many a stumbling have you relieved
From where no helping hand was expected or known!
From where no hand was expected or known?
كَمْhow many مِنَّةٍa favor لَكِof yours عَوَّضَتْcompensated مِنْfor ضَيْعَةٍan estate
كَمْ مِنَّةٍ لَكِ عَوَّضَتْ مِنْ ضَيْعَةٍ
مُجْتَاحَةٍravaged أَوْor مَنْزِلٍa home مُتَهدمِruined
مُجْتَاحَةٍ أَوْ مَنْزِلٍ مُتَهدمِ
How many a favor of yours has compensated for an estate
How many losses have your kindnesses replaced
Laid waste, or a home in ruins!
From conquering devastation or a crumbling home?
كَمْhow often يَمَّمَتْsought out هِبَةٌa gift كَرِيماًa noble person مُوحَشاًlonely
كَمْ يَمَّمَتْ هِبَةٌ كَرِيماً مُوحَشاً
فِيin دَارِهِhis home وَذَرَاهُand his shelter غَيرُnot مُيَمَّمِapproached
فِي دَارِهِ وَذَرَاهُ غَيرُ مُيَمَّمِ
How often a gift has sought out a noble soul, lonely
How much have your gifts brought a lonely soul cheer
In his home, his shelter left unvisited!
In his house, leaving him not deprived?
كَمْhow many مِنْof يَتِيمٍan orphan أَنْقَذَتْهُsaved him مَبَرَّةٌa charitable deed
كَمْ مِنْ يَتِيمٍ أَنْقَذَتْهُ مَبَرَّةٌ
لَكِof yours مِنْfrom تَعَاسَتِهِhis misery وَكَمْand how many مِنْof أَيِّمِa widowed person
لَكِ مِنْ تَعَاسَتِهِ وَكَمْ مِنْ أَيِّمِ
How many an orphan has been saved by a charitable deed
How many orphans have you saved by your compassion
Of yours from his misery—and how many a widowed soul!
From their misery? And how many spinsters?
كَمْhow much فِيamong الشُّيُوخِthe elderly وَفِيand among الشَّبَابِthe young مُرُةءةٌmagnanimity (apparent misspelling)
كَمْ فِي الشُّيُوخِ وَفِي الشَّبَابِ مُرُةءةٌ
صَوَّرَتْهَاembodied it فِيin اللَّحْمِthe flesh مِنْهُمْof them وَالدَّمِand blood
صَوَّرَتْهَا فِي اللَّحْمِ مِنْهُمْ وَالدَّمِ
How much magnanimity, among the old and the young,
How many glimpses of delight have you pictured
Has been embodied in their flesh and blood!
In their flesh and blood of both the old and young?
كَمْhow many مِنْحَةٍa grant بَعَثَتْrevived بِمِصْرَin Egypt صِنَاعَةًa craft
كَمْ مِنْحَةٍ بَعَثَتْ بِمِصْرَ صِنَاعَةً
لَمْdid not يُبْقِleave مِنْهَاof it الدَّهْرُtime غَيْرَexcept الأَرْسُمِthe traces
لَمْ يُبْقِ مِنْهَا الدَّهْرُ غَيْرَ الأَرْسُمِ
How many a grant has revived in Egypt a craft
How many endowments have you sent Egypt of crafts
Of which time had left nothing but traces!
Of which time has left nothing but relics?
كَمْhow many مَعْهَدٍan institute لِلْعِلمِfor learning فِيin أَرْجَائِهَاher regions
كَمْ مَعْهَدٍ لِلْعِلمِ فِي أَرْجَائِهَا
جَدَّدْتِyou renewed دَارِسَهُits decayed remains وَكَمْand how many مِنْof مَعْلِمِa landmark
جَدَّدْتِ دَارِسَهُ وَكَمْ مِنْ مَعْلِمِ
How many a center of learning throughout her lands
How many institutes of knowledge in its corners
Have you restored from ruin—and how many a landmark!
Have you renewed for their students and teachers?
هَيْهَاتَnever يَنْسَىwill forget قَوْمُكِyour people الأَبْرَارُthe righteous مَاwhat
هَيْهَاتَ يَنْسَى قَوْمُكِ الأَبْرَارُ مَا
أَولَيْتِهِمْyou bestowed on them مِنْof خَالِدَاتِenduring الأَنْعُمِblessings
أَولَيْتِهِمْ مِنْ خَالِدَاتِ الأَنْعُمِ
Never will your righteous people forget what
Never will your righteous people forget what
You bestowed on them of enduring blessings.
You have granted them of enduring blessings.
فَهَوَىso the longing سَرَائِرِهِمْof their inmost hearts هَوضاكِunclear; possibly your love وَنَيْلُهُمْand their gaining
فَهَوَى سَرَائِرِهِمْ هَوضاكِ وَنَيْلُهُمْ
أَدْنَىthe slightest رِضَاكِof your favor يُعَدis deemed أَسْنَىthe most splendid مَغْنَمِgain
أَدْنَى رِضَاكِ يُعَد أَسْنَى مَغْنَمِ
So their inmost hearts' desire is your love [reading uncertain], and gaining
Their hearts crave you, and their slightest pleasure in you
Your slightest favor is deemed the richest prize.
Is counted their greatest prize.
مَاas long as دُمْتِyou remain سَالِمَةًsafe فَمِصْرُthen Egypt وَأَهْلُهَاand her people
مَا دُمْتِ سَالِمَةً فَمِصْرُ وَأَهْلُهَا
فِيin نِعْمَةٍblessing وَفَرَتْabounded فَدُومِيso endure وَاسْلَمِيand be safe
فِي نِعْمَةٍ وَفَرَتْ فَدُومِي وَاسْلَمِي
As long as you are safe, Egypt and her people
As long as you are well, Egypt and its people
Enjoy abundant blessing; live on, and be safe!
Are in bounty. So last long and be safe!
Sol 6.1