وَمَا مِصْرُ عُمْرَ الدَّهْرِ إِلَّا غَنِيمَةٌ

وَمَا مِصْرُ عُمْرَ الدَّهْرِ إِلَّا غَنِيمَةٌ

لِمَنْ حَلَّ مَغْنَاهَا وَنَهْبٌ مُقَسَّمُ

لِمَنْ حَلَّ مَغْنَاهَا وَنَهْبٌ مُقَسَّمُ

And Egypt, throughout the ages, is nothing but booty

Egypt's lifespan is but spoils

For whoever settles in her abode, and plunder divided up.

For those who seized its riches and shared plunder,

تَدَاوَلَهَا الْمُلاكُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ

تَدَاوَلَهَا الْمُلاكُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ

وَنَالَ بِهَا حَظّاً فَصِيحٌ وَأَعْجَمُ

وَنَالَ بِهَا حَظّاً فَصِيحٌ وَأَعْجَمُ

Masters from every nation have held her in turn,

Passed down through every nation,

And the eloquent and the foreign-tongued have gained a share in her.

Grasped alike by eloquent and mute.

فَمَا أَهْلُهَا إِلَّا عَبِيدٌ لِمَنْ سَطَا

فَمَا أَهْلُهَا إِلَّا عَبِيدٌ لِمَنْ سَطَا

وَلا رَيْعُهَا إِلَّا لِمَنْ شَاءَ مَغْنَمُ

وَلا رَيْعُهَا إِلَّا لِمَنْ شَاءَ مَغْنَمُ

So her people are only slaves to whoever prevails by force,

Its people are but slaves belonging

Nor is her revenue anything but spoils for whoever desires it.

To those whose hand holds sway,

عِدَادُكَ فِي سِلْكِ الْبَرِيَّةِ خِزْيَةٌ

عِدَادُكَ فِي سِلْكِ الْبَرِيَّةِ خِزْيَةٌ

وَدَعْوَاكَ حَقَّ الْمُلْكِ أَدْهَى وَأَعْظَمُ

وَدَعْوَاكَ حَقَّ الْمُلْكِ أَدْهَى وَأَعْظَمُ

Your being counted among humankind is a disgrace,

Its yield but for those who chose to reap.

And your claim to the right of kingship is still more disastrous and grave.

Your multitudes are but a herd,

لَقَدْ هَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى النَّاسِ عِنْدَمَا

لَقَدْ هَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى النَّاسِ عِنْدَمَا

رَأَوْكَ بِهَا فِي مُلْكِ يُوسُفَ تَحْكُمُ

رَأَوْكَ بِهَا فِي مُلْكِ يُوسُفَ تَحْكُمُ

The world indeed became contemptible in people's eyes when

Your claim to rule but vainglory and pretense.

They saw you there, ruling in Yusuf's kingdom.

When you ruled, the world was cheapened

فَإِنْ تَكُ أَوْلَتْكَ الْمَقَادِيرُ حُكْمَهَا

فَإِنْ تَكُ أَوْلَتْكَ الْمَقَادِيرُ حُكْمَهَا

فَقَدْ حَازَهَا مِنْ قَبْلُ عَبْدٌ مُزَنَّمُ

فَقَدْ حَازَهَا مِنْ قَبْلُ عَبْدٌ مُزَنَّمُ

So if the fates have granted you rule over her,

In the eyes of men.

A baseborn slave had already possessed her before.

If fate allows you to rule once more

وَشَتَّانَ عَبْدٌ بِالْمَحَجَّةِ نَاطِقٌ

وَشَتَّانَ عَبْدٌ بِالْمَحَجَّةِ نَاطِقٌ

وَحُرٌّ إِذَا نَاقَشْتَهُ الْقَوْلَ أَغْتَمُ

وَحُرٌّ إِذَا نَاقَشْتَهُ الْقَوْلَ أَغْتَمُ

And what a gulf between a slave who speaks of the path of truth,

A slave has held that power before.

And a free man, inarticulate when you debate with him.

Vast the gulf between a bondsman who can speak

فَهَذَا أَذَلَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُعَزَّزٌ

فَهَذَا أَذَلَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُعَزَّزٌ

وَذَاكَ أَعَزَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُهَضَّمُ

وَذَاكَ أَعَزَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُهَضَّمُ

So this one debased kingship, though he was honored,

And a freeman, muted when engaged.

And that one exalted kingship, though he was downtrodden.

One debased a kingdom yet mighty,

فَمَنْ شَكَّ فِي حُكْمِ الْقَضَاءِ فَهَذِهِ

فَمَنْ شَكَّ فِي حُكْمِ الْقَضَاءِ فَهَذِهِ

جَلِيَّةُ مَا شَاءَ الْقَضَاءُ الْمُحَتَّمُ

جَلِيَّةُ مَا شَاءَ الْقَضَاءُ الْمُحَتَّمُ

So whoever doubts the decree of fate—this is

The other empowered a humbled realm.

The clear truth of what irrevocable fate has willed.

Let none doubt the judgment of fate.