زَكِيُّ يا صَفوةَ أَبناءِ العَرَب

زَكِيُّ يا صَفوةَ أَبناءِ العَرَب

وَخيرَ من أَلَّفَ فينا وَكَتَب

وَخيرَ من أَلَّفَ فينا وَكَتَب

Zaki, O choicest of the sons of the Arabs,

O excellent one, cream of the Arabs’ sons

And best of those among us who have composed and written,

And best of those who rallied us and wrote

نِلتَ المعالي وَتَسَنَّمتَ الرُتَب

نِلتَ المعالي وَتَسَنَّمتَ الرُتَب

تَسعى إِلى بابِك من غيرِ طَلب

تَسعى إِلى بابِك من غيرِ طَلب

You attained high honors and ascended the ranks;

You have attained the heights and grasped the reins

They hasten to your door unbidden.

To your door come those who do not ask or note

لو لم تكن باشا لأَغناك الأَدَب

لو لم تكن باشا لأَغناك الأَدَب

وَالعِلمُ وَالفَضلُ وَذَيّاكَ اللَقَب

وَالعِلمُ وَالفَضلُ وَذَيّاكَ اللَقَب

Had you not been a pasha, literature would have sufficed for you,

Were you not Pasha, your learning would suffice

And learning, and merit, and that title.

And your excellence and titles bring you fame

لو أَنَّ كلَّ مُعجَبٍ بما كَتَب

لو أَنَّ كلَّ مُعجَبٍ بما كَتَب

هنَأَكَ اليَومَ بِسَطرٍ من ذَهَب

هنَأَكَ اليَومَ بِسَطرٍ من ذَهَب

If every admirer of what he wrote

If all who admired what you wrote

Congratulated you today with a line of gold,

Congratulated you today in lines of gold

لما أَتى إِلّا بِبَعضِ ما وَجَب

لما أَتى إِلّا بِبَعضِ ما وَجَب

He would have offered only part of what was due.

They could only give a fraction of what is owed