ذكْراكَyour memory بِالإِكْبَارِwith reverence وَand الإِعْجَابِadmiration
ذكْراكَ بِالإِكْبَارِ وَ الإِعْجَابِ
تَبْقَىremains مُجَدّدَةًrenewed عَلَىthroughout الأَحْقَابِthe ages
تَبْقَى مُجَدّدَةً عَلَى الأَحْقَابِ
Your memory, held in reverence and admiration,
Your memory remains, renewed through the ages,
remains renewed throughout the ages.
With utmost admiration and glorification.
عَامٌa year تَقَضَّىpassed مُذْsince نَأَيْتَyou departed وَلَمْand not يَزَلْceased
عَامٌ تَقَضَّى مُذْ نَأَيْتَ وَلَمْ يَزَلْ
بِعُيونِin the eyes of مِصْرَEgypt سَنَىthe radiance of الشِّهَابِthe meteor الكَابيfading
بِعُيونِ مِصْرَ سَنَى الشِّهَابِ الكَابي
A year has passed since you departed, yet there remains
A year has passed since your arrival, yet in Egypt’s eyes
in Egypt's eyes the radiance of the fading meteor.
The blazing comet has not ceased its flare.
عَامٌa year بِهِin which كَرُّthe advance of الزَّمَانِtime وَفَرُّهُand its retreat
عَامٌ بِهِ كَرُّ الزَّمَانِ وَفَرُّهُ
جَازَexceeded الحِسَابَreckoning وَلَمْand not يَكُنْwas بِحِسَابِreckoned on
جَازَ الحِسَابَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ بِحِسَابِ
A year in which time's advance and retreat
A year in which time sped on, unreckoned,
exceeded reckoning and were never reckoned on.
Surpassing all account and calculation.
فَإِذَاso behold الَّذِيthe one whose عَمَرَfilled اليَقِينُcertainty فُؤَادَهُhis heart
فَإِذَا الَّذِي عَمَرَ اليَقِينُ فُؤَادَهُ
فِيin حَيْرَةِthe bewilderment of المُتَرَدِّدِthe wavering one المُرْتَابِthe doubtful one
فِي حَيْرَةِ المُتَرَدِّدِ المُرْتَابِ
So behold, the one whose heart certainty had filled
So one whose heart was filled with certainty
stands in the bewilderment of one who wavers and doubts.
Is left in hesitation and doubt.
أَلْقَىhurled حَوَاصِبَهُits stone-laden storms عَلىupon الدُّنْيَاthe world فَمَاso no
أَلْقَى حَوَاصِبَهُ عَلى الدُّنْيَا فَمَا
بَلَدٌland نَجَاescaped مِنْfrom حَاصِبٍa stone-laden storm مُنْتَابِassailing
بَلَدٌ نَجَا مِنْ حَاصِبٍ مُنْتَابِ
It hurled its stone-laden storms upon the world, and no
He unleashes his weapons upon the world, so no land
land escaped an assailing storm of stones.
Escapes the strikes of his unerring selection.
طَيْرٌbirds أَبَابِيلٌin swarms حِجَارَتُهَاtheir stones اللَّظَىblazing fire
طَيْرٌ أَبَابِيلٌ حِجَارَتُهَا اللَّظَى
تَدَعُleave القُرَىthe towns فِيin وَحْشَةٍdesolation وَتَبَابَand ruin
تَدَعُ القُرَى فِي وَحْشَةٍ وَتَبَابَ
Birds in swarms, their stones blazing fire,
Birds of ill omen, their rocks pure calamity,
leave the towns in desolation and ruin.
Leave towns forlorn and desolate.
وَتُعَاقِبُand punish العُزْلَthe unarmed الضِّعَافَthe weak وَمَاthough not جَنَواthey committed wrongdoing
وَتُعَاقِبُ العُزْلَ الضِّعَافَ وَمَا جَنَوا
بِصَوَاعِقٍwith thunderbolts لَيْسَتْare not بَنَاتِdaughters of سَحَابِclouds
بِصَوَاعِقٍ لَيْسَتْ بَنَاتِ سَحَابِ
And punish the unarmed, the weak, though they have done no wrong,
They succeed each other, overthrowing the weak,
with thunderbolts that are not daughters of clouds.
With lightning no cloud-born storms create.
فَالأَرْضُso the earth رَاوِيَةُsaturated الثَّرَىthe soil بِدمٍwith blood جَرَىthat flowed
فَالأَرْضُ رَاوِيَةُ الثَّرَى بِدمٍ جَرَى
والدَّمْعُand tears مَمْزُوجٌmingled بِكُلِّwith every شَرَابِdrink
والدَّمْعُ مَمْزُوجٌ بِكُلِّ شَرَابِ
So the earth's soil is drenched in blood that flowed,
The earth, watering the dirt with blood shed,
and tears are mingled with every drink.
And tears mixed in every drink.
هَلْdo هَذِهِthese المَثُلاتُexemplary punishments وَهْيَthough they are رَوَائِعٌterrors
هَلْ هَذِهِ المَثُلاتُ وَهْيَ رَوَائِعٌ
فِيْهَاin them لَنَاfor us عِظَةٌa lesson وَفَصْلُand decisiveness of خِطَابِspeech
فِيْهَا لَنَا عِظَةٌ وَفَصْلُ خِطَابِ
Do these calamities, terrifying as they are,
Are not these examples, though grievous,
hold a lesson for us and a decisive word?
For us a lesson and clear sermon?
مَاذَاwhat نُعِدُّshall we prepare لِذَوْدِهَاto repel them عَنْfrom حَوْضِنَاour watering-place
مَاذَا نُعِدُّ لِذَوْدِهَا عَنْ حَوْضِنَا
يَكْفِيenough الدِّعَابُjesting لاتَnot حينَa time for دِعَابِjests
يَكْفِي الدِّعَابُ لاتَ حينَ دِعَابِ
What shall we prepare to ward them off from our watering-place?
What can we prepare to defend ourselves
Enough jesting: this is no time for jests.
When flattery in time of need is apt to aggravate?
فَلْيَسْأَلِso let them ask الأَحيَاءُthe living مَوْتَاهُمْtheir dead فَقَدْfor indeed
فَلْيَسْأَلِ الأَحيَاءُ مَوْتَاهُمْ فَقَدْ
تَهْدِيguide فَضَائِلُهُمْtheir virtues أُوْلِيthose possessing الأَلْبَابِunderstanding
تَهْدِي فَضَائِلُهُمْ أُوْلِي الأَلْبَابِ
So let the living question their dead, for indeed
Let the living ask the dead, for their virtues
their virtues guide those endowed with understanding.
Will enlighten those of wisdom and reason.
اليَوْمَtoday تَخْلُوdevotes herself مِصْرُEgypt للذِّكْرىto remembrance وَكَمْand how many
اليَوْمَ تَخْلُو مِصْرُ للذِّكْرى وَكَمْ
ذِكْرَىa memory تُنَفٍُِّrelieves مِنْsome of كُرُوبِthe sorrows of مُصَابِone stricken
ذِكْرَى تُنَفٍُِّ مِنْ كُرُوبِ مُصَابِ
Today Egypt devotes herself to remembrance; how many
Today Egypt is devoid for your memory, and how much
a memory eases the sorrows of one stricken!
Remembrance can lessen the pain of affliction!
فَتُعِيدُso she recalls سِيرَةَthe life of ذلِكَthat القُطْبِgreat leader الَّذِيwho
فَتُعِيدُ سِيرَةَ ذلِكَ القُطْبِ الَّذِي
بِجَلالِهِin his grandeur هُوَhe قُدْوَةُthe exemplar of الأَقْطَابِleaders
بِجَلالِهِ هُوَ قُدْوَةُ الأَقْطَابِ
So she recalls the life of that great leader who,
From the start of your reign you did not cease to battle,
in his grandeur, is the exemplar of leaders.
Pressing on with resolve that never weakened.
حَمَلَbore الأَمَانَةَthe trust وَهْيَand it was جِدُّvery ثَقِيلَةٍheavy
حَمَلَ الأَمَانَةَ وَهْيَ جِدُّ ثَقِيلَةٍ
وََعِتَابُand the reproach of مُودِعِهَاthe one who entrusted it أَشَدُّthe sternest عِتَابِreproach
وََعِتَابُ مُودِعِهَا أَشَدُّ عِتَابِ
He bore the trust, heavy indeed,
Though varied the directions of your attention,
and its entruster's reproach was the sternest of reproaches.
Your purpose remained connected and intent.
وَمِنَand among الأَمَانَةِentrusted duties مَاthat which يُنَاءُweighs one down بِعِبْئِهِwith its burden
وَمِنَ الأَمَانَةِ مَا يُنَاءُ بِعِبْئِهِ
وَيَزِيدُand adds حَزْمَthe prudence of الشَّيْخِthe elder عَزْمَthe resolve of شَبَابِyouth
وَيَزِيدُ حَزْمَ الشَّيْخِ عَزْمَ شَبَابِ
And some trusts weigh one down with their burden,
You wept over your compassion, which realized
yet add youth's resolve to an elder's prudence.
The noblest and most graceful aspirations.
أَيُّwhich of الرِّجَالِthe men سِوَىother than ابْنِson of بَجْدَتِهَاits inner workings لَهَاis fit for it
أَيُّ الرِّجَالِ سِوَى ابْنِ بَجْدَتِهَا لَهَا
وَسبيلُهَاand its path مَحْفُوفَةٌbeset بِعِقَابِwith steep ascents
وَسبيلُهَا مَحْفُوفَةٌ بِعِقَابِ
Which man but one versed in its ways is fit for it,
You wept over the citadels of kindness you built
when its path is beset with steep ascents?
For kindness itself, when wants were so urgent.
لَبَّىanswered the call مُحَمَّدُMuhammad إذْwhen دَعَتْهُcalled him بِلاَدُهُhis country
لَبَّى مُحَمَّدُ إذْ دَعَتْهُ بِلاَدُهُ
طَوْعاًwillingly لِحُكْمِto the rule of وَفَائِهِhis loyalty الغَلاَّبِall-conquering
طَوْعاً لِحُكْمِ وَفَائِهِ الغَلاَّبِ
Muhammad answered when his country called him,
You wept over the edifices of knowledge, the best
willingly obeying the rule of his all-conquering loyalty.
To provide access for students’ needs.
وَرِيَاسَةُand the leadership of الوُزَرَاءِthe ministers هَلْdoes تَحْلُوtaste sweet وَمَاwhen nothing
وَرِيَاسَةُ الوُزَرَاءِ هَلْ تَحْلُو وَمَا
مَنْof سُؤْرِهَاits dregs فِيin الكَأْسِthe cup غَيْرُother than الصَّابِbitter sap
مَنْ سُؤْرِهَا فِي الكَأْسِ غَيْرُ الصَّابِ
And can the premiership taste sweet, when
Eloquence grieves - what oration was yours
its dregs in the cup are nothing but bitter sap?
Among the finest of speakers and writers!
كَانَتْit was وَكُلُّand every الأَمْرِmatter مُسْتَعْصٍintractable بِهَاwithin it
كَانَتْ وَكُلُّ الأَمْرِ مُسْتَعْصٍ بِهَا
وَالسَّيْرُand the journey بَيْنَbetween مَخَارِمٍmountain passes وَشِعَابِand ravines
وَالسَّيْرُ بَيْنَ مَخَارِمٍ وَشِعَابِ
It was such that every matter within it defied solution,
Representation grieves now you are absent; you were
and the way ran between mountain passes and ravines.
Of its elite and trusted advisors.
فَنَضَاso he unsheathed لَهَاfor it الرأْيَjudgment النَّزِيْهَuntainted عَنْby الهَوَىpassion
فَنَضَا لَهَا الرأْيَ النَّزِيْهَ عَنْ الهَوَى
وَمَضَىand proceeded بَيْنَbetween يَدَيْهِhis two hands نُورُthe light of صَوَابِsound judgment
وَمَضَى بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ نُورُ صَوَابِ
So he unsheathed for it judgment untainted by passion,
The premiership grieves your relinquishing it,
and the light of sound judgment went before him.
For none can fulfill its need but you alone.
مُسْتَكْمِلُfully endowed with الأَخْلاَقِvirtues للعَلْيَاءِfor exalted station فِيin
مُسْتَكْمِلُ الأَخْلاَقِ للعَلْيَاءِ فِي
دَرَجَاتِهَاits ranks مُسْتَكْمِلُfully endowed with الآدَابِrefinement
دَرَجَاتِهَا مُسْتَكْمِلُ الآدَابِ
Perfect in character for exalted station, in
You completed your book ahead of time in this world,
all its ranks; perfect in refinement.
And for the world beyond, booked the finest reward.
يَقِظٌalert لِكُلِّto every جَلِيلَةٍweighty matter وَدَقِيقَةٍand minute detail
يَقِظٌ لِكُلِّ جَلِيلَةٍ وَدَقِيقَةٍ
حَذِرٌcautious وَلَكِنْand yet لَيْسَnot بِالهَيَّابِtimorous
حَذِرٌ وَلَكِنْ لَيْسَ بِالهَيَّابِ
Alert to every weighty matter and minute detail,
So you gained in the first the most precious honor,
cautious, but never timorous.
And in the second, the loftiest recompense.
ومُجَامِلٌand courteous يَرْعَىtakes care of بِمَاwith what فِيهِin it الرِّضَىcontentment
ومُجَامِلٌ يَرْعَى بِمَا فِيهِ الرِّضَى
كُلاًeach person عَلىaccording to قَدَرٍdue measure وَلَيسَand does not يُحَابِيshow favoritism
كُلاً عَلى قَدَرٍ وَلَيسَ يُحَابِي
And courteous, he takes care, in ways that give contentment,
of each according to his due, without favoritism.
فِيin أَيِّwhat a وَقْتٍspan of time لَمْnot يَطُلْlast long وَكَأَنَّهُand as though it were
فِي أَيِّ وَقْتٍ لَمْ يَطُلْ وَكَأَنَّهُ
عُمْرٌa lifetime طَوِيلُlong in الهَمِّcare وَالأَوْصَابِand afflictions
عُمْرٌ طَوِيلُ الهَمِّ وَالأَوْصَابِ
In so brief a span, though it seemed
a lifetime long with care and suffering,
وَهَبَgave المُحِبُّthe loving man قُوَاهُhis strength وَهْيthough it was مُضَنَّةٌjealously guarded
وَهَبَ المُحِبُّ قُوَاهُ وَهْي مُضَنَّةٌ
لِلّهِto God belongs دَرُّthe excellence of الحُبِّlove مِْas a وَهَّابِbountiful giver
لِلّهِ دَرُّ الحُبِّ مِْ وَهَّابِ
the loving man gave his strength, treasured though it was.
God bless love—what a bountiful giver!
لِرِخَاءِfor the prosperity of أُمَّتِهِhis nation وَعِزَّةِand the might of جَيْشِهَاits army
لِرِخَاءِ أُمَّتِهِ وَعِزَّةِ جَيْشِهَا
لَمْnot يَدَّخِرْspare سَبَباًany means مِنَamong الأَسْبَابِthe means
لَمْ يَدَّخِرْ سَبَباً مِنَ الأَسْبَابِ
For his nation's prosperity and the might of its army,
he left no means unused.
فَإِذاso behold المَعَاضِلُthe knotty problems وَاجِدَاتُfinding حُلولَهَاtheir solutions
فَإِذا المَعَاضِلُ وَاجِدَاتُ حُلولَهَا
وَإِذَاand behold المَضَايِقُthe narrow straits وَاسِعَاتُspacious رِحَابِexpanses
وَإِذَا المَضَايِقُ وَاسِعَاتُ رِحَابِ
So behold, the knotty problems find their solutions,
and behold, the narrow straits open into broad expanses;
وَإِذَاand behold الْحَيَاةُlife تَعُودُreturns ذَاتَpossessing بَشَاشَةٍcheerfulness
وَإِذَا الْحَيَاةُ تَعُودُ ذَاتَ بَشَاشَةٍ
وَالبُؤْسُwhile misery يَنْظُرُlooks on كَاشِرَbaring الأَنْيَابِthe fangs
وَالبُؤْسُ يَنْظُرُ كَاشِرَ الأَنْيَابِ
and behold, life becomes cheerful once again,
while misery looks on, baring its fangs.
يَاO مَنْyou who نَأَىdeparted عَنْfrom مِصْرَEgypt فَاجْتَمَعَتْso she united عَلَىin
يَا مَنْ نَأَى عَنْ مِصْرَ فَاجْتَمَعَتْ عَلَى
ثُكْلٍbereavement وَمَاand there are no فِيin الثُّكْلِbereavement مِنْany أَحْزَابِfactions
ثُكْلٍ وَمَا فِي الثُّكْلِ مِنْ أَحْزَابِ
O you who departed from Egypt, so she united in
bereavement—and in bereavement there are no factions.
مِنْfrom بَدْءِthe beginning of عَهْدِكَyour tenure مَاnot فَتِئْتَceased مُكَافِحاًstriving
مِنْ بَدْءِ عَهْدِكَ مَا فَتِئْتَ مُكَافِحاً
تَطَأُtread underfoot الصِّعَابَthe difficulties بِعزْمِكَwith your resolve الوَثَّابِbounding
تَطَأُ الصِّعَابَ بِعزْمِكَ الوَثَّابِ
From the beginning of your tenure, you never ceased striving,
treading difficulties underfoot with your bounding resolve.
وَعَلَىand despite التَّنَوُّعِthe variety فِيin اتِّجَاهِكَyour course لَمْnot تَرِمْdeviate
وَعَلَى التَّنَوُّعِ فِي اتِّجَاهِكَ لَمْ تَرِمْ
مَسْعَاكَyour striving مُتَّصِلٌunbroken وَشَأْنُكَand your stature رَابِrising
مَسْعَاكَ مُتَّصِلٌ وَشَأْنُكَ رَابِ
Despite the variety in your course, you never swerved;
your striving was unbroken, your stature rising.
تَبْكِيweep for المَكَارِمُnoble virtues أَرْيَحِيَّتَكَyour magnanimity الَّتِيwhich
تَبْكِي المَكَارِمُ أَرْيَحِيَّتَكَ الَّتِي
كَانَتْused to تُحَقِّقُfulfill أَنْبَلَthe noblest الآرَابِaspirations
كَانَتْ تُحَقِّقُ أَنْبَلَ الآرَابِ
Noble virtues weep for your magnanimity, which
used to fulfill the noblest aspirations.
تَبْكِيweep for مَبَانيthe buildings of البِرَّcharity أَسْمَحَthe most generous مَنْone who بنَيbuilt
تَبْكِي مَبَاني البِرَّ أَسْمَحَ مَنْ بنَي
لِلْبِرِّfor charity وَالحَاجَاتُwhile needs جِدُّvery رِغَابِvast
لِلْبِرِّ وَالحَاجَاتُ جِدُّ رِغَابِ
Charity's buildings weep for the most generous man who built
for charity, while needs were vast indeed.
تَبْكِيweep for صُرُوحُthe towers of العِلْمِlearning خَيْرَthe best one making accessible مُوَطِّيءٍtheir precincts
تَبْكِي صُرُوحُ العِلْمِ خَيْرَ مُوَطِّيءٍ
أَكْنَافَهَاtheir precincts لِمَطَالِبِfor the pursuits of الطُّلاّبِthe students
أَكْنَافَهَا لِمَطَالِبِ الطُّلاّبِ
The towers of learning weep for the one who best prepared
their precincts for the students' pursuits.
يَأْسَىgrieves البَيَانُeloquence وَأَيُّand what a خَطْبٍcalamity خَطْبُهُits calamity
يَأْسَى البَيَانُ وَأَيُّ خَطْبٍ خَطْبُهُ
فيin أبْرَعِthe most gifted of الخُطَبَاءِthe orators وَالكُتَّابِand the writers
في أبْرَعِ الخُطَبَاءِ وَالكُتَّابِ
Eloquence grieves—what a grievous loss it has suffered
in the most gifted of orators and writers!
تَأْسىgrieves النِّيَابَةُparliament أَنْthat تَبِينَyou depart وَكُنْتَand you were مِنْamong
تَأْسى النِّيَابَةُ أَنْ تَبِينَ وَكُنْتَ مِنْ
حُصَفَائِهَاits discerning men وَثِقَاتِهَاand its trusted men الصُّيَّابِsound in judgment
حُصَفَائِهَا وَثِقَاتِهَا الصُّيَّابِ
Parliament grieves at your departure; you were among
its discerning, trusted men, sound in judgment.
تأْسَىgrieves الرِّيَاسَةُthe premiership أَنْthat تُزَايِلَهَاyou leave it وَلَمْand not
تأْسَى الرِّيَاسَةُ أَنْ تُزَايِلَهَا وَلَمْ
تَتَقَضَّcome to an end حَاجَتُهَاits need لِغَيْرِwithout إِيَابِreturn
تَتَقَضَّ حَاجَتُهَا لِغَيْرِ إِيَابِ
The premiership grieves that you left it, while
its need had not ended, and you would not return.
أَنْجَزْتَyou completed فِيin الدُّنْيَاthis world كِتَابَكَyour book مُعْجَلاًswiftly
أَنْجَزْتَ فِي الدُّنْيَا كِتَابَكَ مُعْجَلاً
وَحَمَلْتَand you carried لِلْعُلْيَاto the world above أَبَرَّthe most righteous كِتَابِbook
وَحَمَلْتَ لِلْعُلْيَا أَبَرَّ كِتَابِ
You completed your book in this world swiftly,
and carried to the world above the most righteous of books.
فَأَصَبْتَso you gained فِيin الأُولىthe first life أَعزَّthe most precious كَرَامَةٍhonor
فَأَصَبْتَ فِي الأُولى أَعزَّ كَرَامَةٍ
وأَصَبْتَand you gained فيin الأُخرىthe next life أَجَلَّthe greatest ثَوَابِreward
وأَصَبْتَ في الأُخرى أَجَلَّ ثَوَابِ
So in this life you gained the most precious honor,
and in the next you gained the greatest reward.
Partial English translation: 44 of 78 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1