أعيى عزائمَك القضاءُ الأغلبُ

وطوى صحيفتك الزمان القلَّبُ

The fate decreed has wearied your resolves,

And time the changer has folded your record.

أرأيت كيف يفاجئُ السباق في

غاياته ويقاطع المتوثِّبُ

Have you not seen how the leader in his goals

Is overtaken and the jumper cut off?

أنسيت محنة مصر في سودانها

أيام هام الجيش فيه يعذّبُ

You forgot Egypt's plight in its misfortune

When the army roamed it, tortured,

أهملته حتى إذا فتكوا به

أمسى فؤادك جمرة تتلهب

Neglecting it until they attacked it

And your heart became a flaming ember.

ولبثت تذكر ثأر غردونٍ إلى

أن حانت الدعوى وآن المطلب

You lingered remembering Ghrdun's revenge

Until the claim was due and the request ready,

وسطوت سطوة قاهرٍ متعقِّبٍ

يفضي إليه القاهر المتعقب

And you attacked with the attack of a pursuing conqueror

To whom the conqueror pursuing submits,

وفتكت بالأقوام فتكة ناقمٍ

لا يتقي لوماً ولا يتهيب

And you massacred the people with the vengeance of an angry one

Who fears no blame nor feels awe.

ما فكَّر المصريُّ في أسلابهم

حتى غدا المصري فيما تسلب

The Egyptian did not reflect upon their belongings

Until the Egyptian became among the plundered.

ولبثت تبدو في زخارف مخلص

للقوم تخفي ما اعتزمت وتحجب

You continued to appear in the adornments of one loyal

To the people, hiding what you intended and concealing it,

غافلتهم حيناً فلم يتلفتوا

إلا ونابك فيهم والمخلب

Deceiving them for a while until they were heedless,

Only to pounce upon them, claw extended.

لولا خضوع وزارة هيابة

لم يستقم لك في السياسة مضرب

Were it not for the submissiveness of an intimidated government,

Things would not have gone well for you in politics.

هل أنت فينا فاتح أو وارث

أو قَيِّمٌ أعلى وجار أقرب

Are you among us a conqueror or an heir,

Or a steward, a close neighbor, or a more merciful guardian?

أو أنت فينا مصلح متطوِّع

للخير أو مستأصل مستوعب

Or are you among us a volunteer reformer

For good, or one who thoroughly uproots?

أينوّلُ الدستورَ قيصرُ قومَه

وتقوم فينا تستبد وترهب

A Caesar who twists the law of his people,

While among us you tyrannize and terrorize.

مصر الأحق برحمة أم موطن

بدماء قومك مكتس مُتَخَضِّب

Does Egypt deserve mercy more than a homeland

Drenched in the blood of your people?

ماذا أعد لأهل مصر من يرى

أن الأحق بحكم مصر الأجنب

What have you prepared for Egypt's people when you see

That the most deserving to rule Egypt are foreigners?

أتطيل بينهم مقامك جاهداً

وتقول لما يتعلموا ويهذبوا

Do you intend to prolong your stay among them, striving

And saying: until they learn and become refined?

إن أخصبت أو أيسرت فبأهلها

وبنيلها تثري البلاد وتخصب

If you enrich it or make it prosperous, it is by its people

And its Nile that you make the country thrive and flourish.

وهمُ بنو أبطالها وحماتها

هل تنكرنَّ عليهمُ أن ينجبوا

They are the sons of its heroes and defenders.

Will you deny that they should sire?

أم تُغلقنَّ قلوبَهم وعقولهم

من بعدما حفظوا العظات وجربوا

Or close their hearts and minds

After they have learned lessons and gained experience?

أشركت في أوطانهم نزلاءهم

ووهبتهم في مصر ما لا يوهب

You made its dwellers partners in their homelands

And granted them in Egypt what is not granted.

وختمت عهدك بالذي اهتزت له

أركان مكةَ واستعاذت يثرب

And you ended your reign with what shook

The pillars of Mecca and Medina sought refuge.

وتنفس الصعداء شعبٌ حاملٌ

همّاً يضيق به الفضاء الأرحب

A lofty people weary of carrying

A burden too heavy for the vastest space.

قلنا وقلت فأينا المتنكر ال

متنمر المتجبر المتصعب

We said, and you said, but who among us is the obstinate denier,

The arrogant oppressor, the stubborn tyrant?

ماذا كسبت وأنت عنا راحلٌ

إلا الجفاء وبئس هذا المكسب

What have you gained, when you are leaving us,

Except alienation and the misery of these gains?

إن كان ذنباً بعدنا عن مظهر

يوم الوداع فليس منا المذنب

If staying away from your farewell appearance is a sin,

Then we are not the guilty ones.

ماذا علينا لو أقمت مجاملاً

حتى تفارقنا وأنت محبب

What do we owe you if you had stayed on, flattering us,

Until you left us while still beloved?

هل كنت تزعم أن أمرك خالد

في أهل مصر خلود مصر وتحسب

Did you assume your affairs were eternal

In Egypt's people, like Egypt's eternity, and think so?

وتهين دينهم وتنكر عرشهم

ولواءهم وتريد أن لا يغضبوا

You insult their religion, deny their throne,

Their banner, and wish they do not become angry?

وتسبهم أيام لبثك فيهمُ

وتود بعد العزل أن يتأدبوا

You criticize them the days you spent among them,

And after dismissal wish they learn manners?

ما زال حزبك يكبرونك في الرضى

والسخط حتى ألهوك فعوقبوا

Your party still aggrandizes you in consent and anger,

Until it has misled you, so they were punished.

أهلاً وسهلاً بالجديد وليتَنا

كالناس نفرح بالجديد ونطرب

Welcome, welcome to the newcomer! Would that we

Could be like others, joyous at newcomers and delighted!

عاشرتنا زمناً وديعاً طيِّباً

فارجع كما أنت الوديع الطيب

You have lived with us a gentle, sweet time,

So return as you are, gentle and sweet.

لولا مخافة أن تقول شماتةً

بالمستقيل سعى إليك الموكب

If I did not fear you saying "gloating,"

The parade would have hastened to you.

هل تقتفي أثر القديم تمادياً

أم أنت مأمور بما تستوجب

Will you follow the steps of the predecessor, persisting,

Or are you ordered to do what earns you?

ويزيد في رحماك منصبك الذي

بُلِّغته أم يزدهيك المنصب

And your post which has reached you increases your mercy,

Or does the post make you arrogant?

ولكل يوم حالة ولكل أم

ر جدة ولكل جيل مأرب

Each day has its own state, each matter novelty,

And each generation its own watering place.

واليوم مصرٌ غيرُها في أمسها

هممٌ تجدُّ وراصدٌ يترقب

Today Egypt is not her former self,

Resolute spirits and an observant watcher.

لا تعترض تيارَها فلربما

غمر البلاد وأنت واه متعب

Do not oppose its current, for it may perhaps

Flood the country while you are exhausted and feeble.

وإذا عبستَ لها أبت ضيماً وإن

حاسنت لان لك المراس الأصعب

If you frown at it unjustly, it will refuse tyranny, but if

You treat it well, the most difficult correspondence is smoother for you.

وأشد من سيف الكميِّ وناره

قلم يجادل أو لسان يخطب

And sharper than the sword of insults and its fire

Is a pen that argues or a tongue that speaks.

ولقد يُردُّ الجيشُ في عددٍ ولا

ترتد عاطفةٌ لشاكٍ ينحب

The army may one day return in numbers, and no

Emotion will recede for one who laments and weeps.

والسر أيسر من تقيد خاطر

ومردِّ ألسنة تبين وتعرب

The secret is easier than binding a sentiment

And silencing tongues that show and express.

وطلابنا تحرير مصر طبيعة

سيان فيها ساذجٌ ومدرَّب

And our students who call for Egypt's liberty are by nature

The same, whether naive or experienced.

كن بيننا كسواك ضيفاً راضياً

تصفو لنا وله الحياة وتعذب

Be among us like your position, a satisfied guest.

Life will be pleasant for you and for us.

لا يخدعنك فاتن متملقٌ

غصّان بالخبر الشنيع مذبذب

Do not be fooled by a flattering charmer

Whose branches sway with disgraceful news.

فالشرق مهما اشتد عزمك مشرق

والغرب مهما امتد حزمك مغرب

However strong your resolve, the East remains East,

And however firm your step, the West remains West.