مَوْلاَيَmy lord هَذَاthis فَضْلٌa favor جَدِيدُnew
مَوْلاَيَ هَذَا فَضْلٌ جَدِيدُ
يُزْهَىis made splendid بِهِby it عَهْدُكَyour reign السَّعيدُhappy
يُزْهَى بِهِ عَهْدُكَ السَّعيدُ
My lord, this is a new act of grace,
My Master, this is a new bounty,
By which your happy reign is made splendid.
With which your auspicious era is adorned,
عَدْلٌjustice وَأَمْنٌand security وَطِيبُand pleasantness عَيْشٍof life
عَدْلٌ وَأَمْنٌ وَطِيبُ عَيْشٍ
يَسَّرَهَاmade them possible حَكْمُكَyour rule الرَّشِيدُwise
يَسَّرَهَا حَكْمُكَ الرَّشِيدُ
Justice, security, and a pleasant life—
Justice, security, and good living,
Your wise rule has made them possible.
Made easy by your wise rule.
فِيin كُلِّevery عِلمٍscience وَكُلِّand every فَنٍart
فِي كُلِّ عِلمٍ وَكُلِّ فَنٍ
يَكْمُلُis perfected بِالطَّارِفِby the newly acquired التَّلِيدُthe inherited legacy
يَكْمُلُ بِالطَّارِفِ التَّلِيدُ
In every science and every art,
In every science and every art,
The old is perfected by the new.
It is perfected by the refined old ways,
وَكَمْand how many مَجَالٍa field فِيهِin it مَجَالٍscope
وَكَمْ مَجَالٍ فِيهِ مَجَالٍ
يَبْدُوappears بِهَاthrough them رَأْيُكَyour judgment السَّدِيدُsound
يَبْدُو بِهَا رَأْيُكَ السَّدِيدُ
And how many a field offers scope,
And how many spheres in which spheres,
In which your sound judgment is revealed.
Your astute view appears.
أَليَوْمَtoday نَالَattained النبُوغُgenius فَخْراًhonor
أَليَوْمَ نَالَ النبُوغُ فَخْراً
أَتَاحَهُmade it possible سَعْيُكَyour endeavor الحَمِيدُpraiseworthy
أَتَاحَهُ سَعْيُكَ الحَمِيدُ
Today, genius has gained an honor
Today genius has gained pride,
Made possible by your praiseworthy endeavor.
Made possible by your praiseworthy effort,
لِمِصْرَfor Egypt طَيَّwithin the folds of الثَّرَىthe earth فَقِيدٌa departed one
لِمِصْرَ طَيَّ الثَّرَى فَقِيدٌ
غَالٍdear وَمَنْand who ذلِكَthat الفَقِيدُthe departed one
غَالٍ وَمَنْ ذلِكَ الفَقِيدُ
Egypt has, in the earth's folds, a departed one—
For Egypt where the loved one is buried,
Dear indeed—and who is that departed one?
Dear he was and who was that loved one.
حَيَّيتَهُyou honored him فِيin مَقَامِa setting ذِكْرَىof remembrance
حَيَّيتَهُ فِي مَقَامِ ذِكْرَى
فَمِصْرُso Egypt جَذْلَىjoyful وَاليَوْمُand today عِيْدَa feast day
فَمِصْرُ جَذْلَى وَاليَوْمُ عِيْدَ
You honored him in a commemorative gathering,
You greeted him at the commemoration,
So Egypt is joyful, and today is a feast day.
So Egypt is mournful and today is a feast,
يَاO حُسْنَsplendor حَفْلٍa gathering تُوفِيyou preside عَلَيْهِover it
يَا حُسْنَ حَفْلٍ تُوفِي عَلَيْهِ
وَصَفْوَةُand the elite الأُمَّةof the nation الشُّهودُthose present
وَصَفْوَةُ الأُمَّة الشُّهودُ
What a splendid gathering you preside over,
O excellent occasion you fulfill for it,
With the nation's finest in attendance!
And the elite of the nation are present.
أَلشَّاعِرُthe poet العَبْقَرِيُّof genius فِيهِin it
أَلشَّاعِرُ العَبْقَرِيُّ فِيهِ
يُكْرَمُis honored وَالمُلْهَمُand the inspired one المُجِيدُaccomplished
يُكْرَمُ وَالمُلْهَمُ المُجِيدُ
There, the poet of genius
The brilliant poet is honored in it,
Is honored—the inspired master.
And the inspired magnificent one,
أُقِيمَwas erected تِمْثَالُهُhis statue وَلَكِنْbut
أُقِيمَ تِمْثَالُهُ وَلَكِنْ
بِهِthrough him لِتِمْثَالِهِfor his statue الخُلُودُimmortality
بِهِ لِتِمْثَالِهِ الخُلُودُ
His statue was erected, but
His statue was erected but,
Through him his statue gains immortality.
With it eternity for his statue.
شَوْقِيShawqi نَزِيلٌa resident بِكُلِّin every قَلْبٍheart
شَوْقِي نَزِيلٌ بِكُلِّ قَلْبٍ
فِيin صُورَةٍa form مَاno بِهَاin it جُمُودُlifelessness
فِي صُورَةٍ مَا بِهَا جُمُودُ
Shawqi dwells in every heart,
Shawqi resident of every heart,
In a form that knows no lifeless stillness.
In an image lacking stillness,
مَاas long as بَقِيَremains الشِّعْرُpoetry فَهْوَthen he بَاقٍendures
مَا بَقِيَ الشِّعْرُ فَهْوَ بَاقٍ
كَأَنَّas though فِقْدَانَهُhis loss وُجُودُpresence
كَأَنَّ فِقْدَانَهُ وُجُودُ
So long as poetry remains, he endures,
As long as poetry remains he remains,
As though his loss were presence.
As if his loss is existence.
شَوْقِيShawqi وَيَكْفِيand suffices اسْمُهُhis name بَيَاناًas an explanation
شَوْقِي وَيَكْفِي اسْمُهُ بَيَاناً
يَعْنِيexpresses بِهِthrough it المَجْدُglory مَاwhat يُرِيدُit wishes
يَعْنِي بِهِ المَجْدُ مَا يُرِيدُ
Shawqi—his name says enough;
Shawqi, his name alone is enough,
Through it, glory expresses what it wishes.
The glory means what it wants with it,
نَمَاهُnurtured him عَصْرٌan age وَكلُّand every عَصْرٍage
نَمَاهُ عَصْرٌ وَكلُّ عَصْرٍ
يَوَدwishes لَوْif only أَنَّهthat it العَتِيدُthe one at hand
يَوَد لَوْ أَنَّه العَتِيدُ
An age nurtured him, and every age
An era raised him and every era,
Wishes it had been the one to have him.
Would want that it was the coming one.
فِيin كُلِّevery قُطْرٍland ناءٍdistant وَقُطْرٍand a land
فِي كُلِّ قُطْرٍ ناءٍ وَقُطْرٍ
دَانٍnearby تَغَنَّىsang لهُfor him قصِيدُverse
دَانٍ تَغَنَّى لهُ قصِيدُ
In every far-off land, and every land
In every dewy region and fertile region,
Nearby, verse has sung in his honor.
His ode sang to him,
مَاnot يَبْلُغُreaches الوَصْفَdescription مِنْof نُبُوغٍgenius
مَا يَبْلُغُ الوَصْفَ مِنْ نُبُوغٍ
محِيطُهits ocean مَاnot لَهُfor it حُدودُbounds
محِيطُه مَا لَهُ حُدودُ
No description can encompass such genius;
The description doesn't reach the brilliance,
Its ocean has no bounds.
Its surroundings have no limits.
أُمِّرَwas made a prince بِالحَقِّrightfully أَلْمَعِيٌّa brilliant man
أُمِّرَ بِالحَقِّ أَلْمَعِيٌّ
هَيْهَاتَfar from possible يُلْفىis found لَهُfor him نَدِيدُa peer
هَيْهَاتَ يُلْفى لَهُ نَدِيدُ
A brilliant man was rightly made a prince;
He commanded goodness, the brilliant one,
Never could a peer for him be found.
Never will an equal be found for him,
غوَّاصُa diver فِكْرٍof thought فِيin كُلِّevery بَحْرٍsea
غوَّاصُ فِكْرٍ فِي كُلِّ بَحْرٍ
يَصِيدُhe catches لِلشِّعرِfor poetry مَاwhat يَصِيدُhe catches
يَصِيدُ لِلشِّعرِ مَا يَصِيدُ
A diver of thought in every sea,
A diver of thought in every sea,
He catches for poetry whatever he catches.
Fishing for poetry what he fishes.
أَغْرَاضُهُhis themes الجَوْهَرُgems المصَفَّىrefined
أَغْرَاضُهُ الجَوْهَرُ المصَفَّى
وَلفْظُهُand his diction اللُّؤْلُؤُthe pearl الفرِيدُpeerless
وَلفْظُهُ اللُّؤْلُؤُ الفرِيدُ
His themes are refined gems,
His purposes are refined pearls,
And his diction is the peerless pearl.
And his diction unique pearls,
وَمَاand not يدَانىis matched وَمَاand not يُسَامَىis rivaled
وَمَا يدَانى وَمَا يُسَامَى
دَانِيthe near معَانِيهِof his meanings وَالبَعَيدُand the far
دَانِي معَانِيهِ وَالبَعَيدُ
Neither matched nor rivaled are
He is not matched and not named,
His meanings, whether near or far.
His meanings match him and the distant one.
إِنْif يَدْعُهُcalls him الوَحْيُinspiration لَمَّdoes not تَعُقْهُhinder him
إِنْ يَدْعُهُ الوَحْيُ لَمَّ تَعُقْهُ
ثَنِيَّةa mountain pass صَعْبَةٌdifficult كَؤُودُarduous
ثَنِيَّة صَعْبَةٌ كَؤُودُ
If inspiration calls him, he is not hindered by
If inspiration urges him, no
A difficult, arduous mountain pass.
Difficult peak impedes him,
يصْعَدُhe climbs حَتَّىuntil تَبْدُوappear ذُرَاهَاits peaks
يصْعَدُ حَتَّى تَبْدُو ذُرَاهَا
وَقَدْand already عَلتْهَاhave risen above them لهُfor him بُنودbanners
وَقَدْ عَلتْهَا لهُ بُنود
He climbs until its peaks appear,
He climbs until its summits appear,
With his banners already flying above them.
And its high passes have yielded to him.
أَلقَصَصُstorytelling المَسْرَحِيُّtheatrical فنٌّan art
أَلقَصَصُ المَسْرَحِيُّ فنٌّ
مِرَاسُهُits practice مُرْهِقٌexhausting شَدِيدُdemanding
مِرَاسُهُ مُرْهِقٌ شَدِيدُ
Dramatic storytelling is an art
Theatrical fiction is an art,
Whose practice is strenuous and demanding.
Its course is greatly exhausting,
وَدُونَand in the way of نَظْمِcomposing القَرِيضِverse فِيهِin it
وَدُونَ نَظْمِ القَرِيضِ فِيهِ
مِنْfrom ثِقَلِthe weight العِبْءِof the burden مَاthat which يَؤُودُweighs down
مِنْ ثِقَلِ العِبْءِ مَا يَؤُودُ
And in the path of composing verse in it
And without composing verses in it,
Lies a burden whose weight bows one down.
There is from the weight of the burden what pains.
أَجَادَهُmastered it مَاas much as يَشَاءُhe wishes شَوْقِيShawqi
أَجَادَهُ مَا يَشَاءُ شَوْقِي
وَعَزَّand was rare مِنْfrom قَبْلِهِbefore him المُجِيدُan accomplished master
وَعَزَّ مِنْ قَبْلِهِ المُجِيدُ
Shawqi mastered it as he wished,
Shawqi did it with mastery whatever he wished,
And before him, a master of it was rare.
And before him the magnificent one was incapable.
أَلحِكْمَةُwisdom المُنْتَقَاةُchoice تَسْبِيcaptivates
أَلحِكْمَةُ المُنْتَقَاةُ تَسْبِي
حِجَاكَyour mind وَالنُّكتَةُand the witticism الشَّرُودُelusive
حِجَاكَ وَالنُّكتَةُ الشَّرُودُ
Choice wisdom captivates
Choice wisdom captivates
Your mind, as does the elusive witticism.
And the fleeting subtlety,
وَالسَّلْسلُand the smooth-flowing stream العَذْبُsweet فِيin بَيَانٍeloquence
وَالسَّلْسلُ العَذْبُ فِي بَيَانٍ
يُنْشِيelates وَيَشْفِيand heals مِنْهُfrom it الوُرُودُdrinking
يُنْشِي وَيَشْفِي مِنْهُ الوُرُودُ
And the sweet, flowing stream of eloquence—
And the sweet chain in eloquence,
Drinking from it brings rapture and healing.
Delights and heals by it the flowers,
وَالنَّغمُand the melody الحُلُوsweet فِيin نِظَامٍverse
وَالنَّغمُ الحُلُو فِي نِظَامٍ
كُلُّevery رَوِيٍّrhyme consonant مِنْهُof it نَشِيدُa song
كُلُّ رَوِيٍّ مِنْهُ نَشِيدُ
And the sweet melody in verse—
And the mellifluous melody in harmony,
Every rhyme in it is a song.
Each of its metres is a chant.
مَوْلاَيَmy lord حَمْداًthanks وَأَلْفَand a thousand حَمْدٍthanks
مَوْلاَيَ حَمْداً وَأَلْفَ حَمْدٍ
عَطْفُكَyour kindness رَأْيٌjudgment عَالٍlofty وَجُودُand generosity
عَطْفُكَ رَأْيٌ عَالٍ وَجُودُ
My lord, thanks—a thousand thanks!
My Master, praise and a thousand praises,
Your kindness is lofty judgment and generosity.
Your kindness, lofty opinion and generosity,
فَأَنتَfor you أَنْتَyou الفَارُوقُal-Faruq لَوْلاَwere it not for
فَأَنتَ أَنْتَ الفَارُوقُ لَوْلاَ
تَخَالُفُdifference الدَّهْرِof eras وَالرَّشِيدُand al-Rashid
تَخَالُفُ الدَّهْرِ وَالرَّشِيدُ
For you—you are al-Faruq, were it not for
For you are you, the Farooq, unless
The difference of eras—and al-Rashid too.
You oppose fate and the righteous one.
جَدَّدْتَyou renewed لِلضَّادِfor ḍād (Arabic) أَيَّwhat an عَصْرٍage
جَدَّدْتَ لِلضَّادِ أَيَّ عَصْرٍ
يَحْفَظُكَmay He preserve you المُبْدِيءُthe Originator المُعِيدُthe Restorer
يَحْفَظُكَ المُبْدِيءُ المُعِيدُ
What an age you have renewed for the tongue of ḍād!
You renewed for the letter D which era,
May the Originator, the Restorer, preserve you.
Will preserve you, the excellent restorer.
إِنَّindeed مُنَىthe hopes مِصْرَof Egypt وَهْيَwhile she تَدْعُوprays
إِنَّ مُنَى مِصْرَ وَهْيَ تَدْعُو
وَكُلَّمَاand whenever ازْدَدْتَyou gain more تَسْتَزِيدُshe asks for more
وَكُلَّمَا ازْدَدْتَ تَسْتَزِيدُ
Indeed, Egypt's hopes, as she prays,
Indeed the hopes of Egypt while calling,
Ask for still more whenever you gain more.
And the more you increase it asks for more.
Sol 6.1