يَاO أَدِيبَman of letters الدنَّياof the world تُحَيِّيكَgreets you مِصْرُEgypt
يَا أَدِيبَ الدنَّيا تُحَيِّيكَ مِصْرُ
صِلَةُbond الفَضْلِof merit فِيamong أُولِيpeople of الفَضْلِmerit إِصْرُfirm tie
صِلَةُ الفَضْلِ فِي أُولِي الفَضْلِ إِصْرُ
O man of letters of the world, Egypt greets you.
The bond of merit among the meritorious is steadfast.
نَفْعُكَyour benefiting النَّاسَpeople مُوجِبٌcalls for لَكَto you شُكْراًthanks
نَفْعُكَ النَّاسَ مُوجِبٌ لَكَ شُكْراً
وَقَلِيلٌand slight فِيin جَانِبِcomparison with النَّفعِthe benefit شُكْرُthanks
وَقَلِيلٌ فِي جَانِبِ النَّفعِ شُكْرُ
Your benefit to people calls for thanks to you,
And thanks are slight beside that benefit.
كُلُّevery عَصْرٍage لَوْif خَيَّرَتْهُoffered it a choice المَعَالِيhigh distinctions
كُلُّ عَصْرٍ لَوْ خَيَّرَتْهُ المَعَالِي
لَتَمَنَّىwould wish لوْif أَنَّهit were لَكَyours عَصْرُan age
لَتَمَنَّى لوْ أَنَّه لَكَ عَصْرُ
Every age, if high distinction offered it a choice,
Would wish that it were your age.
حَبَّذَاhow fine فِيin مَعَاهِدِhalls of العِزِّglory عَهْدٌan era
حَبَّذَا فِي مَعَاهِدِ العِزِّ عَهْدٌ
لمْdid not يَفُتْهُescape it مِنof المَفَاخِرِhonors فَخْرُany honor
لمْ يَفُتْهُ مِن المَفَاخِرِ فَخْرُ
How fine, among the halls of glory, is an era
That lacks no kind of honor:
عَهْدُera of شَمسِthe sun of المُلُوكِkings زَانَتْهُadorned it شُهْبٌstars
عَهْدُ شَمسِ المُلُوكِ زَانَتْهُ شُهْبٌ
بَاهِرَاتٌbrilliant وَأَنْتَand you فِيamong الشُّهبِthe stars بَدْرُa full moon
بَاهِرَاتٌ وَأَنْتَ فِي الشُّهبِ بَدْرُ
The era of the sun of kings, adorned with brilliant stars;
And you, among those stars, are a full moon.
إِيهِah مُلِييرُMolière أَيُّwhat قَارِيءِreader of سِفْرٍa book
إِيهِ مُلِييرُ أَيُّ قَارِيءِ سِفْرٍ
لَمْdid not يُقَوِّمْstraighten تَأْوِيدَهُhis crookedness مِنْكَfrom you سِفْرُa book
لَمْ يُقَوِّمْ تَأْوِيدَهُ مِنْكَ سِفْرُ
Ah, Molière, what reader of a book
Has not had his crookedness straightened by a book of yours?
أَيُّwhat مُلْقٍlistener إِلَىto الفَصَاحَةِeloquence سَمْعاًan ear
أَيُّ مُلْقٍ إِلَى الفَصَاحَةِ سَمْعاً
لَمْdid not يُخامِرْهُcome over him مِنْfrom بَيَانِكَyour expression سُكْرُintoxication
لَمْ يُخامِرْهُ مِنْ بَيَانِكَ سُكْرُ
What listener who lends an ear to eloquence
Has not felt the intoxication of your expression?
أَيَّwhat مُسْتَشْرِفٍwatcher شُخُوصاًfigures تُحَاكِيyou portray
أَيَّ مُسْتَشْرِفٍ شُخُوصاً تُحَاكِي
لَمْdid not يُخالِجْهُstir within him مِنْfrom فُنُونِكَyour arts سِحْرُenchantment
لَمْ يُخالِجْهُ مِنْ فُنُونِكَ سِحْرُ
What watcher, looking toward the figures you portray,
Has not felt the enchantment of your art?
كُلُّall مَاthat فِيin الحَيَاةِlife حِسّاًas feeling وَفِكْراًand thought
كُلُّ مَا فِي الحَيَاةِ حِسّاً وَفِكْراً
هُوَit is حِسٌّfeeling فِيin أَصْغَرَيْكَyour heart and tongue وَفِكْرُand thought
هُوَ حِسٌّ فِي أَصْغَرَيْكَ وَفِكْرُ
All that is in life, in feeling and in thought,
Is feeling and thought within your heart and tongue.
لَكَyou have نَفْسٌa soul كَأَنَّهاas though it كُلُّevery نَفْسٍsoul
لَكَ نَفْسٌ كَأَنَّها كُلُّ نَفْسٍ
وَكأَنَّand as though الخَفَاءَwhat is hidden عِنْدَكَto you جَهْرُplain
وَكأَنَّ الخَفَاءَ عِنْدَكَ جَهْرُ
You have a soul that seems to be every soul,
And what is hidden seems plain to you.
كُلُّevery عِلْمٍknowledge كَأَنَّهas though it لَكَyours عِلْمٌknowledge
كُلُّ عِلْمٍ كَأَنَّه لَكَ عِلْمٌ
كُلُّevery خُبْرٍmatter كَأَنَّهas though it لَكَyours خُبْرَfamiliar matter
كُلُّ خُبْرٍ كَأَنَّه لَكَ خُبْرَ
Every branch of knowledge seems to be yours;
Every matter seems familiar to you.
لاَno تُوَارَىis concealed سَرِيرَةٌsecret عَنْكَfrom you مِمَّاof what
لاَ تُوَارَى سَرِيرَةٌ عَنْكَ مِمَّا
قَدْmight يُوَارِيهِhide it فِيin طَوَاياهُits depths صَدْرُa heart
قَدْ يُوَارِيهِ فِي طَوَاياهُ صَدْرُ
No secret is concealed from you, even one
That a heart might hide in its depths.
أَنْتَyou عَيْنُthe eye of العُقَابِthe eagle تَنْظُرُlook مِنْfrom عَاon hi—
أَنْتَ عَيْنُ العُقَابِ تَنْظُرُ مِنْ عَا
لٍ—gh فَمَاso nothing فِيin العَبَابِthe deep إِنْif تَرْنُyou gaze سِرُّis secret
لٍ فَمَا فِي العَبَابِ إِنْ تَرْنُ سِرُّ
You have the eye of an eagle, looking from on
High; if you gaze into the deep, no secret remains.
قَدْindeed تَبَيَّنتَyou discerned مَاwhat الصَّحيحُis true وَمَاand what
قَدْ تَبَيَّنتَ مَا الصَّحيحُ وَمَا
الزَّيْفُis false فَبَيَّنتَهُand you made it clear وَنَقْدُكَand your judgment حُرُّis free
الزَّيْفُ فَبَيَّنتَهُ وَنَقْدُكَ حُرُّ
You have discerned what is true and what
Is false, and made it clear; your judgment is free.
تَتَوَخَّىyou seek الإِصْلاَحَreform لِلنَّاسِfor people مِمَّاof what
تَتَوَخَّى الإِصْلاَحَ لِلنَّاسِ مِمَّا
أَفْسَدَتْهُspoiled it فِيهِمْwithin them غَرَائِزُinstincts كُدُرُtroubled
أَفْسَدَتْهُ فِيهِمْ غَرَائِزُ كُدُرُ
You seek to set right in people what
Troubled instincts have spoiled within them.
نَصِفُwe describe الشَّينthe blemish ضَاحِكاًlaughing مِنْهُat it بِالزَّيْنِwith beauty
نَصِفُ الشَّين ضَاحِكاً مِنْهُ بِالزَّيْنِ
مِنَof القَوْلِspeech فَهْوَand it is مُبْكٍmoving to tears يَسُرُّdelightful
مِنَ القَوْلِ فَهْوَ مُبْكٍ يَسُرُّ
We describe a blemish, laughing at it, in beautiful
Words: it brings tears even as it delights.
وَقَدِيماًand long ago كَانَwas الأَحَبُّmost welcome إِلىto المَرْthe si—
وَقَدِيماً كَانَ الأَحَبُّ إِلى المَرْ
ضَى—ck دَوَاءًmedicine يَحْلُوmakes sweet بِهِwith it مَاwhat يُمِرُّis bitter
ضَى دَوَاءً يَحْلُو بِهِ مَا يُمِرُّ
Long ago, the medicine most welcome to the
Sick was one that made bitter things taste sweet.
مَنْwhoever يُبَاسِطْspeaks familiarly فِيمَاabout what عَلَىconcerning النَّاسِpeople يَنْعِيهِhe reproaches
مَنْ يُبَاسِطْ فِيمَا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَنْعِيهِ
يُيَسِّرْmakes easier تَثْقِيفَthe correction of مَاwhat فِيهِin it عُسْرُis difficult
يُيَسِّرْ تَثْقِيفَ مَا فِيهِ عُسْرُ
Whoever speaks familiarly of what he reproaches in people
Makes easier the correction of what is difficult.
إِنَّماindeed الخَلْقُpeople مَاwhat وَصَفْتَyou described وَفِيهِمْand among them
إِنَّما الخَلْقُ مَا وَصَفْتَ وَفِيهِمْ
تُرَّهَاتٌfollies وَمُنْقِصَاتٌand shortcomings تَعُرُّthat harm
تُرَّهَاتٌ وَمُنْقِصَاتٌ تَعُرُّ
People are just as you describe them, and among them
Are follies and faults that cause harm.
كُنْتَyou were أَدْرَىmore knowing بِهِمْof them فَكُنْتَand so you were لَهُمْmore mer— أَرْline_39
كُنْتَ أَدْرَى بِهِمْ فَكُنْتَ لَهُمْ أَرْ
حَمَ—ciful كَمْhow often دُونَbehind كَبْوَةٍa stumble قَامَstands عُذْرُan excuse
حَمَ كَمْ دُونَ كَبْوَةٍ قَامَ عُذْرُ
You knew them better, and so were more
Merciful to them: how often an excuse lies behind a stumble.
وَجَمِيلٌand it is fine فِيin دَفْعِكَyour warding off الضرَّharm عَنْهُمْfrom them
وَجَمِيلٌ فِي دَفْعِكَ الضرَّ عَنْهُمْ
إِنْif تَوَخَّيتَyou choose خُطَّةa course لاَthat does not تَضُرُّharm
إِنْ تَوَخَّيتَ خُطَّة لاَ تَضُرُّ
It is fine, in warding harm away from them,
To choose a course that does no harm.
فَلَقَدْfor indeed تُوحِشُcan alienate الخُشُونَةُharshness مَنْone whom لَمْyou do not
فَلَقَدْ تُوحِشُ الخُشُونَةُ مَنْ لَمْ
تَتَلَطَّفact gently فِيin نُصْحِهِadvising him فَيُصِرُّand so he persists
تَتَلَطَّف فِي نُصْحِهِ فَيُصِرُّ
For harshness can alienate someone if you do not
Speak gently in counsel, and so he persists.
أَخْلَصَتْrefined طَبْعَكَyour nature الخُطُوبُhardships وَنَقَّتْand purified
أَخْلَصَتْ طَبْعَكَ الخُطُوبُ وَنَقَّتْ
جَوْهَرَthe substance of القَلْبِthe heart فَهْوَand it is كَالنُّورِlike light طُهْرُpure
جَوْهَرَ القَلْبِ فَهْوَ كَالنُّورِ طُهْرُ
Hardships refined your nature and purified
The heart’s substance, pure as light.
نَالَكَreached you النَّاسُpeople بِالشرُورِwith wrongs فَلَمْyet did not يَحْفِزْكَdrive you
نَالَكَ النَّاسُ بِالشرُورِ فَلَمْ يَحْفِزْكَ
يَوْماًever إِلىto المَسَاءَةِdoing harm شَرُّa wrong
يَوْماً إِلى المَسَاءَةِ شَرُّ
People dealt you wrongs, yet no wrong ever drove you
To do harm in return.
وَعَلَىand in proportion to قَدْرٍthe degree مَاthat تَعِسْتَyou suffered تَنَاهَىgrew greatly
وَعَلَى قَدْرٍ مَا تَعِسْتَ تَنَاهَى
مِنْكَfrom you رِفْقُkindness بِالتاعِسِينَtoward the suffering وَبِرand goodness
مِنْكَ رِفْقُ بِالتاعِسِينَ وَبِر
And as your own suffering grew, so too grew
Your kindness and goodness toward those who suffer.
ظَلْتَyou remained لِلنَّاسِfor people مُرْشِداًa guide بِالَّتِيby what أَحْسَنُis best
ظَلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ مُرْشِداً بِالَّتِي أَحْسَنُ
لاَyou do not تَنْثَنِيturn aside وَفِيand within النَّفسِthe soul أَمْرُa purpose
لاَ تَنْثَنِي وَفِي النَّفسِ أَمْرُ
You remained a guide to people by the better way,
Never turning aside, with your purpose held within.
لَمْyou did not تُقَصِّرْfall short وَلَمْnor يَصُدَّكَhold you back عَمَّاfrom what
لَمْ تُقَصِّرْ وَلَمْ يَصُدَّكَ عَمَّا
تَبْتَغِيهِyou seek مُلْكa kingdom عَزِيزٌmighty وَقَصْرُand a palace
تَبْتَغِيهِ مُلْك عَزِيزٌ وَقَصْرُ
You did not fall short, nor did a mighty kingdom
Or a palace keep you from what you sought.
أَبَداًalways تَغْتَدِيyou go forth وَلِلسُّوءِand for evil خِذْلاَdefea—
أَبَداً تَغْتَدِي وَلِلسُّوءِ خِذْلاَ
نٌ—t وَلِلخَيْرِand for good فِيin النِّهايَاتِthe end نَصْرُvictory
نٌ وَلِلخَيْرِ فِي النِّهايَاتِ نَصْرُ
You go forth always; for evil there is defeat,
And for good, victory in the end.
إِنْif نَظَمْتَyou compose verse الكَلاَمَwords فَهْوَthen it is مِنَfrom الرِّقَّةِdelicacy
إِنْ نَظَمْتَ الكَلاَمَ فَهْوَ مِنَ الرِّقَّةِ
وَاللُّطْفِand grace وَالسَّلاَسَةِand ease نَثْرُprose
وَاللُّطْفِ وَالسَّلاَسَةِ نَثْرُ
If you compose words in verse, their delicacy
And grace and ease make them prose.
أَوْor نَثَرْتَyou write prose الكَلاَمَwords فَهْوَthen it is مِنَfrom البَهْجَةِdelight
أَوْ نَثَرْتَ الكَلاَمَ فَهْوَ مِنَ البَهْجَةِ
وَالفِطْنَةِand wit البَدِيعَةِexquisite شِعْرُpoetry
وَالفِطْنَةِ البَدِيعَةِ شِعْرُ
Or if you write words in prose, their delight
And exquisite wit make them poetry.
قوْلُكَyour speech اللُّؤلُؤُthe pearl الَّذِيwhich لاَcannot يُغَالىbe overpriced
قوْلُكَ اللُّؤلُؤُ الَّذِي لاَ يُغَالى
مَاdid not تَغَالَىexaggerate مَنْwhoever قَالَsaid إِنَّكyou are بَحْرُa sea
مَا تَغَالَى مَنْ قَالَ إِنَّك بَحْرُ
Your speech is a pearl beyond price;
Whoever called you a sea did not exaggerate.
وَلَكَand yours are الرَّائِعَاتُsplendid works مِنْof كُلِّevery ضَرْبٍkind
وَلَكَ الرَّائِعَاتُ مِنْ كُلِّ ضَرْبٍ
كَادَnearly يَعْدُوexceeds فِيهَاin them الإِجَادَاتِthe excellences حَصْرُcounting
كَادَ يَعْدُو فِيهَا الإِجَادَاتِ حَصْرُ
And you have splendid works of every kind;
Their excellence can scarcely be counted.
يَاO فَرَنْسَاFrance بَنوكِyour children عِلْماًin learning وَفَناًand art
يَا فَرَنْسَا بَنوكِ عِلْماً وَفَناً
فِيin سَمَاءِthe sky of النّهَىintellect شُمُوسٌsuns وَزُهْرُand bright stars
فِي سَمَاءِ النّهَى شُمُوسٌ وَزُهْرُ
O France, your children in learning and art
Are suns and bright stars in the sky of intellect.
يَاO فَرَنْسَاFrance صَدِيقَةَfriend of الشَّرْقِthe East دُومِيendure
يَا فَرَنْسَا صَدِيقَةَ الشَّرْقِ دُومِي
وَلِعليَائِكِand may your glory المُحيَّاthe face الأَغَرُّradiant
وَلِعليَائِكِ المُحيَّا الأَغَرُّ
O France, friend of the East, endure,
And may your glory keep its radiant face.
Sol 6