يا واصفَ العرب الكرام لأمةٍ

فيها ذمامٌ للحجى وذِمارُ

O you who describe the generous Arabs as a nation

Among whom zeal for the sacred and valor remain

ومُكرِّماً للجاهليةِ فِطرةً

حَسَدتْ عليها بيدَها الأمصارُ

And who honor the intrinsic nature of the Pre-Islamic Era

Which all other civilizations envied with their hands

ومعيدَ ذاك الجيلِ سيرَته كما

شهد العيانُ ودلتْ الآثارُ

And who restore the ways of that generation as

Witnessed by onlookers and indicated by relics

وممثل الأخلاقِ طاهرةً كما

بدت النجومُ وفاحت الأزهارُ

And represent virtuous morals as they

Appeared like stars and fragrant flowers

ومفسراً للغرب كيف تملكتْ

في الشرق أهلَ النجدةِ الأشعارُ

And explain to the West how

Poetry of help owned the East

ولربما أضحوا ومن شعرائهم

ملك مطاع بينهم قهارُ

And some of their poets became

An obeyed king among them, a conqueror

نعمت شهادتك التي زادوا بها

عطفَ الغريب وحبذا الإقرارُ

Yes, your testimony which they augmented

Won over the stranger and pleased approbation

أنصفتَ بالخبر اليقين معاشراً

ظَلمَتهمُ من قبلك الأخبارُ

With true news you were fair to a people

Who before you were wronged by reports

أكبرتَ عشقهمُ وعفتهم ومن

يأبى الشرابَ وفي حشاه النارُ

You exalted their passion, chastity, and one

Who rejects drink though fire is in his bowels

ووفاءَ ربات الجمال وإنما

عند الحرائر يَشرُف الأحرارُ

And the loyalty of beautiful ladies, for with

The noble, the free are honored

ووقفتَ واستوقفتَ في أطلالهم

يهتاجك التحنانُ والتَذكارُ

You stood and made others stop at their ruins

Where yearning and recollection stir you

ومشيتَ بين ربوعِهم في روضةٍ

أثمارها الآداب والأفكارُ

And walked among their meadows, in a garden

Whose fruits are manners and ideas

لن يُبليَ الإعصار رونقَها وإن

أبلى الديارَ وأهلَها الإعصارُ

No storm can fade its bloom, though

It may fade the abodes and people with storms

شاقتنيَ الأخبارُ حتى أصبحتْ

وكأنما في مسمعي أوتارُ

Reports exhausted me until I became

As though strings were in my hearing

وأرانيَ القوم الحديثَ فأصبحوا

وكأنهم في ناظري حُضارُ

And people's talk made me visualize them

As though they were civilizations before my sight

لو كانت الذكرى تعيد موَليّاً

منهم لعاد السمحُ والمغوارُ

If reminiscing could bring back a patron

Among them, conviviality and hospitality would return

طابت غرائزهم فلما فوجئوا

بنبيهم عرفوا الطريق فساروا

Their instincts were good, so when they were surprised

By their prophet they recognized the path and walked it

ومضت عزائمهم فلما جاهدوا

أخذ الممالك ذلك التيارُ

Their resolves remained steadfast, so when they struggled

That tide seized the kingdoms

فإذا وفَيْتَ لهم فأنت صديقهم

وإذا رعيتَهُمُ فأنت الجارُ

If you are loyal to them you are their friend

And if you look after them you are their neighbor

ذكَّرتَ مصرَ بذلك الفتح الذي

أنستْ به آباؤك الأبرارُ

You reminded Egypt of that conquest which

Made your noble ancestors forget

عرضوا الممالك وابتلوا أحكامها

شتى إلى أن خُيِّروا فاختاروا

They offered kingdoms and tested their rulings

In various ways until they chose and preferred

إن رحبوا بالمسلمين وأخلصوا

لهُمُ فهم لمحمد أصهارُ

That if they welcomed the Muslims and were sincere

To them, they would be Muhammad's in-laws

إن الذي قدمتَه لتفاؤل

بالمقبل المأمول واستبشارُ

What you have presented hoping

For the expected future and rejoicing

فإن احتفت بك عصبةٌ مصريةٌ

فقد احتفت بك هاشمٌ ونزارُ

If you are celebrated by an Egyptian group

You are celebrated by Hashim and Nazar

يا ليتني بين القبائل طائفٌ

وعليَّ من نعم الإمام شعارُ

Would that I were a pilgrim among the tribes

Bearing the blessed Imam's insignia

أدعو وأوقظ كل ساه خامل

حتى تعودَ حضارة وعُمارُ

I would call and rouse every sleepy one

Until civilization and construction return

وأضمهمْ حولَ الهلال ليفتدوا

وهمُ حماةُ الملك والأنصارُ

And gather them around the crescent to ransom

Themselves, the protectors of the kingdom and its helpers

تُرضي بني عثمانَ منهم ألفةٌ

أولى بأصدقِ من يفي ويغارُ

A harmony that satisfies the Ottomans among them

Is more worthy of the most loyal and jealous guardian