لَكَ السَعدُ يَسعى في خِلال المَواكبِ

بِنَيل المُنى ما بين ماشٍ وَراكبِ

Good fortune strives amid processions

To grant you wishes, rider and walker alike.

ويُومِي لَكَ الإقبالُ مِنهُ بِرُتبةٍ

لنيشانها في الصَدر نُورُ الكَواكب

And daily it comes to you in rank

That its ensigns in the chest are stars' lights.

فَأَنتَ عَليُّ القَدر في خَير دَولةٍ

لِتوفيقها في مَصرَ أَعلامُ غالب

So you are fate's pride in best government

With its success in Egypt's flags victorious.

وَأَنتَ الَّذي مِنكَ المَدارس ضوؤُها

يُضيء كَشَمسٍ في سَماء المَكاتب

And you it is who gives schools their glow,

Lighting like a sun in the sky of offices.

فَكُن بِثَباتٍ لِلمَعارف دائِماً

نَصيراً عَلى جَهل كَثيف الغَياهب

So stand firm ever for knowledge

Helper against deep-dark ignorance.

وَدرّب عَلى التَدريس كُلَّ مَدرّسٍ

يَقوم لِأَبناء العُلوم بِواجب

And train each teacher in teaching

To do his duty to science's sons.

فَإِنَّكَ أَدرى بِالعُلوم وَأَهلِها

وَمَنفعةِ الأَوطان مِن كُل ناجب

For you know sciences and their people best,

And what profits nations of every duty.

وَإِن الخديوي دامَ في مصر ملكُه

رآك جَديراً بِالعُلا وَالمَناصب

And the Khedive, may his rule in Egypt endure,

Saw you worthy of high office and rank.

فَأَولاك بِالإِقبال ما أَنتَ أَهلُهُ

لِما فيكَ مِن حَزمٍ وَنفع لِطالب

So those did he grant you as you merit,

For your discretion and benefit to seeker.

فَمنهُ لَكَ الإِسعافُ في كُل ما به

عَلى الفَور تسهيلٌ لِكُلِّ المَصاعب

So from him you have aid in all wherein

Is straightway facilitating each hardship.

وَمِنكَ لهُ الإِخلاص وَالصدق وَالوَفا

بِدولته ذات البَها وَالمَواهب

And from you to him true loyalty and candour

For his state of splendour and talents.

وَأَنتَ على تِلكَ الصِفات جَميعها

جُبلتَ بِنَص عَن عدوّ وَصاحب

And with those qualities entire were you moulded,

Text against foe and comrade alike.

وَكَيفَ وَفيها حسبما أَنتَ عالم

بِها لِمعانيها جَميع المَكاسب

And how not, when in them, as you know,

Are all gains, in their meanings entire?

وَفيها رضا الرحَمن عَن كُل آمر

تَنزه في أَوصافه عَن مَثالب

And in them God's approval of all command

Free in its traits from all defects.

فَلا زِلت فينا لِلمَعارف ناظِراً

بِعَين خَبيرٍ عارفٍ بِالعَواقب

So you remained for knowledge our overseer,

With expert eye, knower of consequences.

وَلا زِلت في أَوطاننا لعزيزنا

وَزيراً سَديد الرَأي جَمّ المَناقب

And you remained in our lands, for our dear one,

Minister, sound in thought, perfect in honours.

وَلا بَرحت تُهدَى إِليك مَدائحٌ

عَلى الناس تُتلى باتفاق المَذاهب

And eulogies guided to you never ceased,

Among all people, by concord of creeds.

يُنمِّقُها مِن كُلِّ ما راقَ مُخلصٌ

وَيَنشرها في شَرقِها وَالمَغارب

Each sincere one embellishing them

With all that pleased, spreading them east and west,

لَعَلك تَلقاها بمحض بَشاشة

إِذا أَقبَلت مِن نَفسِها في كَتائب

That you might meet them with sheer affability

When they came in battalions from the soul.

وَتمنحها مِنكَ القَبول فَإِنَّهُ

هُوَ المنهل المَورود عَذب المَشارب

And grant them acceptance, for it is

The fresh-sweet well, the place of drinking.

وَذاكَ كَثيرٌ مِن أَمير بِفضله

سمت دَولةُ العرفان بَينَ الأَجانب

And that is much for an Amir whose bounty

Made the state of knowledge supreme among foreigners.

وَأَنشده مَجدى يَقول مُؤرخاً

عَليّ تحلَّى مِن وليّ مَراتب

And Majdi recited it chronicling

‘Ali graced with ranks from guardian.’