يَا رَبَّة الصُّرْحِ الْمُمَرَّدِ تَلْتَقِي

يَا رَبَّة الصُّرْحِ الْمُمَرَّدِ تَلْتَقِي

فِيهِ ذُؤابَاتُ الزَّمَانِ الْحَاضِرِ

فِيهِ ذُؤابَاتُ الزَّمَانِ الْحَاضِرِ

O mistress of the polished palace, where gather

O mistress of the lofty palace where

The leading figures of the present age:

People of the present era congregate

مِنْ نَابِغٍ فِي مِصْرَ أَوْ مِنَ نَابِهٍ

مِنْ نَابِغٍ فِي مِصْرَ أَوْ مِنَ نَابِهٍ

فِي الصِّينِ أَوْ بَادٍ يَلُمُّ وَحَاضِرِ

فِي الصِّينِ أَوْ بَادٍ يَلُمُّ وَحَاضِرِ

A genius in Egypt, or a distinguished person

Whether a genius from Egypt or China

In China, or a visiting desert-dweller and a townsman,

Or one with a gift from the past or present

أَوْ مِنْ أَدِيبٍ أَوْ صُنَاعٍ سَاقَهُمْ

أَوْ مِنْ أَدِيبٍ أَوْ صُنَاعٍ سَاقَهُمْ

شَوْقٌ إِلى رَوْضِ الْكَمَالِ الزَّاهِرِ

شَوْقٌ إِلى رَوْضِ الْكَمَالِ الزَّاهِرِ

Or a writer or a skilled artisan, led

Or a writer or artisan brought by

By longing to the blossoming garden of perfection.

A longing for the blossoming garden of perfection

أَنْفَقْتِ جَهْدُكِ فِي كِفَاحٍ دَائِبٍ

أَنْفَقْتِ جَهْدُكِ فِي كِفَاحٍ دَائِبٍ

لأَقَالَةِ الجِنْسِ الرَّقِيقِ الْعَاثِرِ

لأَقَالَةِ الجِنْسِ الرَّقِيقِ الْعَاثِرِ

You devoted your effort to unceasing struggle

You have spent your efforts in constant struggle

To help the stumbling, gentle sex regain its footing.

For the advancement of the stumbling gentle race

فِي كُلِّ مَعْنىً صَالِحٍ هَيَّأتِهِ

فِي كُلِّ مَعْنىً صَالِحٍ هَيَّأتِهِ

لِبُلُوغِ غايَات المُحِقٍّ الْقَادِرِ

لِبُلُوغِ غايَات المُحِقٍّ الْقَادِرِ

In every worthy sphere, you prepared it

In every worthy cause you have prepared it

To attain the goals of the deserving and capable.

To attain the goals of the Omnipotent Truth

الحَيُّ أَعْطَى نَاظِرينَ أَلَيْسَ مِن

الحَيُّ أَعْطَى نَاظِرينَ أَلَيْسَ مِن

غُبْنٍ عَلَيْهِ الاجْتِزَاءُ بِنَاظِرِ

غُبْنٍ عَلَيْهِ الاجْتِزَاءُ بِنَاظِرِ

The Living One gave two eyes—is it not

The living you have given vision, is it not

An injustice to Him to make do with one?

Unjust for them to make do with blindness?

وَالشَّعبُ هَلْ يَرْقَى بِشَطْرٍ بَالِغٍ

وَالشَّعبُ هَلْ يَرْقَى بِشَطْرٍ بَالِغٍ

تمَّت مَدَارِكُهُ وَشَطْرٍ قَاصِرِ

تمَّت مَدَارِكُهُ وَشَطْرٍ قَاصِرِ

And can a people advance with one half mature,

Can a people rise halfway developed

Its faculties fully developed, and the other half deficient?

With half their faculties complete and half deficient?

وَبَذَلْتِ فَضْلاً مِنْ نَدَاكِ لِبَارِعٍ

وَبَذَلْتِ فَضْلاً مِنْ نَدَاكِ لِبَارِعٍ

فِي فَنِّه أَوْ نَاظِمٍ أَوْ نَائِرِ

فِي فَنِّه أَوْ نَاظِمٍ أَوْ نَائِرِ

And you bestowed a gift from your bounty upon one accomplished

You have given freely from your bounty to one

In his art, or a poet, or a shining light.

Gifted in art or poet or composer

بَذْلا قَرَأْتِ الْيَوْمَ أَحْدَثَ آيَةٍ

بَذْلا قَرَأْتِ الْيَوْمَ أَحْدَثَ آيَةٍ

مِنْهُ رَدَدْتِ بِهَا الْحَيَاةَ لِشَاعِرِ

مِنْهُ رَدَدْتِ بِهَا الْحَيَاةَ لِشَاعِرِ

Such giving—today you read its newest sign,

A gift you have read today, the latest verse

Through which you restored a poet to life.

With which you have restored life to a poet

أَنْقَذْتِهِ حِسّاً وَمَعْنَىٍ فَاسْلَمِي

أَنْقَذْتِهِ حِسّاً وَمَعْنَىٍ فَاسْلَمِي

وَتَقَبَّلي مِنِّي تطَوُّعَ شاكِرِ

وَتَقَبَّلي مِنِّي تطَوُّعَ شاكِرِ

You saved him in body and spirit—so may you be well,

You have saved his feeling and meaning, so submit

And accept from me a grateful man's willing offering.

And accept from me, a grateful admirer