عَادَbecame again حقّاًtrue أَنَّthat الْمَحَلَّةَal-Mahalla كُبْرَىgreat
عَادَ حقّاً أَنَّ الْمَحَلَّةَ كُبْرَى
بَعْدَafter تَعْطِيِلهَاits deprivation مِنَof النَّعْتِthe epithet دَهْرَاfor an age
بَعْدَ تَعْطِيِلهَا مِنَ النَّعْتِ دَهْرَا
It is true again that al-Mahalla is great,
It is true that Al-Mahalla Al-Kubra
after long being deprived of that epithet.
Has returned after its long absence from glory
فاحْمِدُواso praise اللّهَGod بُكْرَةًin the morning وأَصِيلاand in the evening
فاحْمِدُوا اللّهَ بُكْرَةً وأَصِيلا
يَاO بَنِيهَاher sons ثمَّthen احْمِدُواpraise بَنْكَBank مِصْراMisr
يَا بَنِيهَا ثمَّ احْمِدُوا بَنْكَ مِصْرا
So praise God morning and evening,
So praise Allah in the mornings and evenings
O her sons, then praise Bank Misr.
O people of it, then praise the Nile of Egypt
هَذهthis غُرَّةُthe crowning glory الْمَآثِرِof achievements فِيمَاamong what
هَذه غُرَّةُ الْمَآثِرِ فِيمَا
لَكَyou have يَاO حَرْبُHarb منْof مَآثِرَachievements أُخْرىother
لَكَ يَا حَرْبُ منْ مَآثِرَ أُخْرى
This is the crowning glory among
This is the first of glories for what
your other achievements, O Harb.
You have of other glories, O Harb
قَدْindeed عَرفْنَاكwe have known you كاتِباًa writer وخَطِيباًand an orator
قَدْ عَرفْنَاك كاتِباً وخَطِيباً
وَحَسِيباًand noble-born وَفَوقَand beyond ذِلكَthat دِثراwealthy
وَحَسِيباً وَفَوقَ ذِلكَ دِثرا
We have known you as a writer and an orator,
We knew you as a writer and orator
a man of noble standing and, beyond that, wealthy.
And accountant, and above that a shield
مَاnot عَرَفْناكwe knew you وَالْقَوَافِيand rhymes بِناءٌa structure
مَا عَرَفْناك وَالْقَوَافِي بِناءٌ
قبْلَbefore هَذيthese الأَبْياتِverses تُنْشِئُyou compose شِعْراpoetry
قبْلَ هَذي الأَبْياتِ تُنْشِئُ شِعْرا
We had not known you—rhymes being a structure—
We did not know you, though skilled with rhyme
to compose poetry before these verses.
Before these verses, composing poetry
رَاعَamazed أَلْبَابَناour minds بِكُلِّwith every بَيَانٍeloquence
رَاعَ أَلْبَابَنا بِكُلِّ بَيَانٍ
وبَديعٍand artistry ماwhat كَانَwas بِالأَمْسِyesterday فِكْرَاa thought
وبَديعٍ ما كَانَ بِالأَمْسِ فِكْرَا
It amazed our minds with every eloquence
You amazed our minds with every eloquence
and artistry—what was a thought yesterday.
And beauty, that was not thought of yesterday
خلَقْتَyou created بَلْدَةًa town نطالِعُwe read شَطْرَاًone half
خلَقْتَ بَلْدَةً نطالِعُ شَطْرَاً
مِنْof أَعَارِيضِهَاits poetic measures ونَتْركُand we leave شَطرَاone half
مِنْ أَعَارِيضِهَا ونَتْركُ شَطرَا
You created a town; we read one half
You created a city, we look upon
of its poetic measures and leave the other half.
Half of its facades and neglect the other half
شَيَّدْتَyou built مِنْfrom صِغَارِsmall drops صَوْبٍrain إِذَاwhen مَاever
شَيَّدْتَ مِنْ صِغَارِ صَوْبٍ إِذَا مَا
إِسْتَمْسكَتْthey bound together عَادَbecame أَجمُعُthe whole الصرْحِedifice صَخْراrock
إِسْتَمْسكَتْ عَادَ أَجمُعُ الصرْحِ صَخْرا
You built it from tiny drops of rain which, when
You built from small blocks, so if
they bound together, made the whole edifice rock.
Held together, the whole citadel returns solid
بُطِّنتْwas lined بِالْحَديدِwith iron وَاخْتَلَفَتْand varied
بُطِّنتْ بِالْحَديدِ وَاخْتَلَفَتْ
أَصْوَاتُthe sounds آلاتِهَاof its machines أَزِيزاًbuzzing وَزَأْرَاand roaring
أَصْوَاتُ آلاتِهَا أَزِيزاً وَزَأْرَا
It was lined with iron, and varied
Lined with iron, and the sounds
were its machines' voices, buzzing and roaring.
Of its tools mixed with buzzing and roaring
وَأُدِيرَتْand was powered بِمَاby what يُبَددُهُit disperses الْمَاءُthe water
وَأُدِيرَتْ بِمَا يُبَددُهُ الْمَاءُ
وَأَنْفَاسُهُand its breaths الطَّليقَةُunfettered حَرَّىhot
وَأَنْفَاسُهُ الطَّليقَةُ حَرَّى
And it was powered by what the water releases,
And spun with what scatters the water
its unfettered breaths burning hot.
And its free breaths, boiling hot
وَأُنِيرَتْand was illuminated بِمَاby what تُوَلَّدْis generated مِنْfrom كُلِّevery
وَأُنِيرَتْ بِمَا تُوَلَّدْ مِنْ كُلِّ
شِهَابٍfiery spark فِيin جَوْفِهَاits interior كانَwas سِرَّاa secret
شِهَابٍ فِي جَوْفِهَا كانَ سِرَّا
And it was lit by what arose from every
And lit with what is born from every
fiery spark that had been hidden in its depths.
Flame in its interior that was secret
خَلَقْتَyou created بَلْدَةa town لِنَسِيجٍfor weaving وَغزْلٍand spinning
خَلَقْتَ بَلْدَة لِنَسِيجٍ وَغزْلٍ
وَضُرُوبٌand kinds مِنَof الصِّناعَاتِindustries تَتْرَىfollow in succession
وَضُرُوبٌ مِنَ الصِّناعَاتِ تَتْرَى
You created a town for weaving and spinning,
You created a city for weaving and spinning
and diverse industries followed in succession.
And types of crafts one after another
حَيْثُwhere كَانَwas الْبُسْتانُthe garden يَنْبُتُbringing forth زَهْراًflowers
حَيْثُ كَانَ الْبُسْتانُ يَنْبُتُ زَهْراً
مَصْنَعٌa factory لِلأَلْوَانِfor colors يَنْبُتُbrings forth زَهْرَاflowers
مَصْنَعٌ لِلأَلْوَانِ يَنْبُتُ زَهْرَا
Where the garden once brought forth flowers,
Where the garden grew flowers
a factory of colors brings forth flowers.
A factory for dyes grows flowers
أَرَأَيْتَhave you seen الْحَرِيرَthe silk وَالْقُطْنَand the cotton
أَرَأَيْتَ الْحَرِيرَ وَالْقُطْنَ
وَالْكُتانَand the linen وَالصُّوفَand the wool فِيهwithin it نَظْماًin verse وَنَثْراand in prose
وَالْكُتانَ وَالصُّوفَ فِيه نَظْماً وَنَثْرا
Have you seen the silk and cotton,
Have you seen the silk and cotton
and the linen and wool within it, in verse and prose,
And flax and wool in it, prose and verse
وَثِياباًand clothes مِنْof كُلِّevery لَوْنٍcolor وَنَقْشٍand pattern
وَثِياباً مِنْ كُلِّ لَوْنٍ وَنَقْشٍ
مِلْءَfilling عَيْنِthe eye البَديعِof beauty طَيّاًfolded وَنَشراand unfolded
مِلْءَ عَيْنِ البَديعِ طَيّاً وَنَشرا
and clothes of every color and pattern,
And clothes of every color and pattern
a feast for beauty's eye, folded and unfolded?
Filling the eye of splendor, extended and folded
مكَثَتْremained مِصْرُEgypt حِقْبَةًfor an age وهْيَwhile she تَجْنِيreaped
مكَثَتْ مِصْرُ حِقْبَةً وهْيَ تَجْنِي
مِنfrom جَنَاهَاher harvest حَمّاًabundantly وَتَحرُزُand keeps نَزْرَاlittle
مِن جَنَاهَا حَمّاً وَتَحرُزُ نَزْرَا
Egypt spent an age reaping
Egypt stayed for an era, reaping
abundantly from her harvest, yet keeping little.
From its yields worry and hoarding blessings
وَعَنَتْهاand preoccupied her شَتَّىvarious الشُّؤونِaffairs وَلمْand did not
وَعَنَتْها شَتَّى الشُّؤونِ وَلمْ
تحْفَلْheed لِمَاwhat كَانَwas بِالعِنَايَةof attention أَحْرَىmore deserving
تحْفَلْ لِمَا كَانَ بِالعِنَايَة أَحْرَى
Various affairs preoccupied her, and she did not
And distracted by diverse affairs and did not
heed what was more deserving of attention.
Pay heed to what was more deserving of care
أَعْوَزَتْهَاwas lacking to her سِيَاسَةُmanagement الْمَالِof money حَتَّىuntil
أَعْوَزَتْهَا سِيَاسَةُ الْمَالِ حَتَّى
عُدَّwas reckoned إِثْرَاؤُهَاher enrichment الْمُشَتَّتscattered فَقْرَاpoverty
عُدَّ إِثْرَاؤُهَا الْمُشَتَّت فَقْرَا
She lacked financial management, until
Its wealth management was lacking until
her scattered wealth was reckoned poverty.
Its scattered enrichment was counted poverty
كَيْفhow تَثْرِيgrow rich الأَقْوَامُpeoples مِنْfrom غَيْرِwithout قَصْدthrift
كَيْف تَثْرِي الأَقْوَامُ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَصْد
وَلَوِeven if الْخَصْبُfertility بدلَtransformed التُّرْبَthe soil تِبْراgold dust
وَلَوِ الْخَصْبُ بدلَ التُّرْبَ تِبْرا
How can peoples grow rich without thrift,
How can nations grow rich without intent
even if fertility turned the soil to gold dust?
Even if fertility replaced barrenness as land
فَبِفضْلِso thanks to الزَّعِيمِthe leader طَلْعَتَTalaat حَرْبٍHarb
فَبِفضْلِ الزَّعِيمِ طَلْعَتَ حَرْبٍ
صُلِحَwas put right الأَمْرُthe affair بَعْدَafter أَنْthat كَانwas أَمْرَاa grave concern
صُلِحَ الأَمْرُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَان أَمْرَا
Yet thanks to the leader, Talaat Harb,
So by the grace of the leader Talaat Harb
affairs were put right after being a grave concern.
The matter was corrected after it was an issue
أَسَّسhe founded الْمَصْرِفَthe bank الْكَبِيرَgreat فَكَانَso it became الأَصْلُthe root
أَسَّس الْمَصْرِفَ الْكَبِيرَ فَكَانَ الأَصْلُ
وَامْتَدَّتِand spread التَّفارِيغُthe offshoots كُثْرَاin abundance
وَامْتَدَّتِ التَّفارِيغُ كُثْرَا
He founded the great bank, which became the root,
He established the great bank, so it was the origin
and its offshoots spread in abundance.
And the branches extended, many
وبَدَتْand appeared قُوَّةُthe strength التعَاوُنِof cooperation فِيin
وبَدَتْ قُوَّةُ التعَاوُنِ فِي
تحْقِيقِachieving مَاwhat لاnot يُظَنُّis imagined كَسْباًprofit وَوَفْرَاand abundance
تحْقِيقِ مَا لا يُظَنُّ كَسْباً وَوَفْرَا
And the strength of cooperation appeared in
And the strength of cooperation appeared
achieving unimagined profit and abundance.
In achieving what is not expected as gain and abundance
شَرِكَاتٌcompanies مَصْرِيَّةEgyptian أَلِفَتْهَاbrought them together
شَرِكَاتٌ مَصْرِيَّة أَلِفَتْهَا
نهْضَةٌa renaissance تَمْلأُfills الجوَانِحَhearts بُشْرَاwith glad tidings
نهْضَةٌ تَمْلأُ الجوَانِحَ بُشْرَا
Egyptian companies, brought together by
Egyptian companies he assembled
a renaissance that fills hearts with glad tidings.
An awakening that fills the souls with glad tidings
أَحْكَمَhe perfected الرَّأْيَjudgment وَالتَّصرُّفَand management فِيof الْمَالِmoney
أَحْكَمَ الرَّأْيَ وَالتَّصرُّفَ فِي الْمَالِ
قدَّرَتْreckoned أَخْلاقُهُhis virtues الرِّبْحَprofit دُرَّاpearls
قدَّرَتْ أَخْلاقُهُ الرِّبْحَ دُرَّا
He perfected judgment and the management of money;
He perfected reason and management of wealth
his virtues reckoned profit as pearls.
His morals appraised profit as ripe fruit
نَهْضَةٌa renaissance لَمْdid not تَخُصَّsingle out مِصْرَEgypt بِنُعْمَاهَاwith its blessings
نَهْضَةٌ لَمْ تَخُصَّ مِصْرَ بِنُعْمَاهَا
وعَمَّتand encompassed نوَاحِيthe regions الشَّرْقِof the East طُرَّاall
وعَمَّت نوَاحِي الشَّرْقِ طُرَّا
A renaissance that did not reserve its blessings for Egypt,
An awakening that did not exclusive to Egypt in its blessings
and spread throughout all the regions of the East.
And it encompassed the regions of the East in general
فَأَرَتَنَاso it showed us السَّفينَvessels تنْقَادُbeing guided جَوّاًthrough the air
فَأَرَتَنَا السَّفينَ تنْقَادُ جَوّاً
وَأَرَتْناَand it showed us السَّفينَvessels تَرتَادُplying بَحْرَاthe sea
وَأَرَتْناَ السَّفينَ تَرتَادُ بَحْرَا
So it showed us vessels guided through the air,
So it showed us ships sailing the air
and showed us vessels plying the sea,
And it showed us ships treading the sea
وَأَرَتْنَاand it showed us كُبْرَىthe greatest الصِّناعَاتِindustries قَامَتْarising
وَأَرَتْنَا كُبْرَى الصِّناعَاتِ قَامَتْ
بَعْدَafter أَنْthat كانَتِwere الصِّناعَاتُthe industries صُغْرَsmall
بَعْدَ أَنْ كانَتِ الصِّناعَاتُ صُغْرَ
and showed us major industries rising,
And it showed us the greatest industries established
after the industries had been small.
After they were small industries
وَأَرتْنَاand it showed us النُّبوغَgenius فِيin كلِّevery مُجْلىarena
وَأَرتْنَا النُّبوغَ فِي كلِّ مُجْلى
لِنَشاطِfor the activity الْعُقولِof minds يَطْلَلُappearing زهْرَاas flowers
لِنَشاطِ الْعُقولِ يَطْلَلُ زهْرَا
And it showed us genius in every arena
And it showed us brilliance in every established field
of mental endeavor, appearing as flowers.
For the activity of minds, flowers blooming
وَأَرَتْنَاand it showed us فِيin حَومِةthe battlefield الْقصْدِof thrift وَالتَّدْبِيرِand planning
وَأَرَتْنَا فِي حَومِة الْقصْدِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ
زحْفَthe advance الْجُيُوشِof armies كرّاًcharging وَفَرَّاand withdrawing
زحْفَ الْجُيُوشِ كرّاً وَفَرَّا
And it showed us, on the battlefield of thrift and planning,
And it showed us in the swarming of resolve and management
armies advancing, charging and withdrawing.
The march of armies, attacking and fleeing
وأَرتْنَاand it showed us غَنَائِمَspoils الرِّبْحِof profit وَالأَرْزَاقِand livelihoods
وأَرتْنَا غَنَائِمَ الرِّبْحِ وَالأَرْزَاقِ
مِنهاfrom it علىto ذَوِيthose possessing الْحَقِّentitlement تُجْرَىare made to flow
مِنها على ذَوِي الْحَقِّ تُجْرَى
And it showed us spoils of profit and livelihoods
And it showed us the spoils of profit and sustenance
flowing from it to those entitled to them.
From it to those deserving given
وأَرتْنَاand it showed us جَدْباًbarrenness تَحوَّلَturned into خَصْباًfertility
وأَرتْنَا جَدْباً تَحوَّلَ خَصْباً
وَأَرتْنَاand it showed us عُسْراًhardship تَحَوَّلَturned into يُسْرَاease
وَأَرتْنَا عُسْراً تَحَوَّلَ يُسْرَا
And it showed us barrenness turned to fertility,
And it showed us barrenness transformed into fertility
and showed us hardship turned to ease,
And hardship transformed into ease
وأَرتْنَاand it showed us حالاًa state تَفِيدُgain بِهَاthrough it
وأَرتْنَا حالاً تَفِيدُ بِهَا
الأَوطَانُcountries نَفْعاًbenefit وَفَوْقَand beyond ذِلكَthat فَخْرَاpride
الأَوطَانُ نَفْعاً وَفَوْقَ ذِلكَ فَخْرَا
and showed us a state through which
And it showed us a condition from which
countries gain benefit and, beyond that, pride.
The nations benefit, and above that take pride
يَاO بَنِيsons مِصْرَof Egypt إِنَّtruly طَلْعتَTalaat حَرْبٍHarb
يَا بَنِي مِصْرَ إِنَّ طَلْعتَ حَرْبٍ
لاnot يُجَارَىis matched عَزْماًin resolve وَحَزماًand firmness وَبِرَّاand benevolence
لا يُجَارَى عَزْماً وَحَزماً وَبِرَّا
O sons of Egypt, truly Talaat Harb
O people of Egypt, Talaat Harb
is unmatched in resolve, firmness, and benevolence.
Is unmatched in resolve, wisdom and righteousness
دُونَapart from هَذِهِthese المَآثِرِachievements الْغُرِّshining كَمْhow many
دُونَ هَذِهِ المَآثِرِ الْغُرِّ كَمْ
ذَلَّلَhe tamed صَعْباًa difficulty لَكُمfor you ومَهِّدَand smoothed وَعْراrough ground
ذَلَّلَ صَعْباً لَكُم ومَهِّدَ وَعْرا
Apart from these shining achievements, how many
Apart from these first glories, how much
difficulties he tamed for you, how much rough ground he smoothed!
Did he make easy for you and pave roughness
هلْcan يُسامَىbe rivaled فِيin الْمَجِدglory مُجْدُthe glory عِصَامِيٍّof a self-made man
هلْ يُسامَى فِي الْمَجِد مُجْدُ عِصَامِيٍّ
بَنَىhe built أُمَّتهُhis nation وأَحْدَثَand brought into being عَصْراan era
بَنَى أُمَّتهُ وأَحْدَثَ عَصْرا
Can a self-made man's glory be rivaled in greatness—
Can the glory of reformers be equaled
one who built his nation and ushered in an era?
Who built his nation and brought about an age?
Sol 6.1