إيهٍ بَني مِصرَ مِن صُمٍّ وَعُميانِ
ضَجَّ اللَهيفُ وَهَبَّت صَيحَةُ العاني
O my people of Egypt, deaf and blind,
The passionate one roared and the scream of the oppressed arose,
أَتَصدِفونَ بِأَبصارٍ وَأَفئِدَةٍ
وَتَجمَحونَ بِأَسماعٍ وَأَذهانِ
Do you block your sights and hearts,
And gather with deaf ears and minds?
فُضَّ الكِتابُ فَسالَت مِن صَحائِفِهِ
مَآتِمُ النيلِ تَجري بِالدَمِ القاني
The book was opened and its pages poured forth
The waters of the Nile flowing with blood.
إيماءَةُ المَوتِ في عُنوانِهِ وَضَحَت
وَالمَوتُ أَبلَغُ مَن يُومي بِعُنوانِ
The gesture of death in its title became clear
And death is more eloquent than my lamentation of its title.
زِنوا الأُمورَ فَإِنَّ الظُلمَ مَهلَكَةٌ
وَأَعدَلُ الناسِ مَن يَقضي بِميزانِ
Weigh matters justly, for injustice is ruinous,
And the most just people are those who judge with the scales.
ماذا تُريدونَ بَعدَ اليَومِ فَاِنتَبِهوا
لا يَقبَل اللَهُ عُذراً بَعدَ تِبيانِ
What more do you want after today? So beware!
God will not accept any excuse after the proof has become clear.
أَتُؤمِنونَ بِرَبٍّ لا شَريكَ لَهُ
أَم تُؤمِنونَ بِأَصنامٍ وَأَوثانِ
Do you believe in a Lord with no partner
Or do you believe in idols and statues?
دينٌ مِنَ العارِ لَم تُرفَع قَواعِدُهُ
إِلّا عَلى طاعَةٍ مِنكُم وَإِذعانِ
A religion of shame whose foundations were not raised
Except by your obedience and submission.
لا تَعبُدوا الهُبَلَ الأَعلى وَشيعَتَهُ
شَرُّ البَلِيَّةِ كُفرٌ بَعدَ إيمانِ
Do not worship the high idol Hubal and his followers,
The worst calamity is disbelief after faith.
لا بارَكَ اللَهُ مِنكُم كُلَّ ذي سَفَهٍ
وَلا رَعى اللَهُ مِنهُم كُلَّ خَوّانِ
God did not bless every fool among you
Nor did He shepherd every treacherous one.
صَبّوا الرِياءَ عَلى أَخلاقِهِم فَطَغى
حَتّى رَموا قَومَهُم مِنهُ بِطوفانِ
They poured hypocrisy over their morals until it overwhelmed them,
And they cast their people into it with a flood.
ثُمَّ اِرعَوَت ضَجَّةُ الآذيِّ وَاِنحَسَرَت
بَقِيَّةُ السَيلِ مِن زورٍ وَبُهتانِ
Then the clamor of harm subsided
And the rest of the torrent of falsehood and slander receded.
فَاليَومَ هُم كُلُّ ضاحي الكَيدِ مُنجَرِدٍ
بادي الشَناءَةِ وَالبَغضاءِ عُريانِ
Today they are all bare-faced in plotting
Evident in villainy, hatred and nakedness.
لا يَعصِبُ الرَأسَ لِلشَنعاءِ يَفعَلُها
وَلا يُقَنِّعُ يَوماً وَجهَ خِزيانِ
No leader covers his head in disgrace or
Masks his face in humiliation any day.
يا صادِقَ العَهدِ فيما تَدَّعي فِئَةٌ
الذِئبُ أَصدَقُ عَهداً مِنكَ لِلضانِ
O you who claims to be true to your covenant,
The wolf is more true to its covenant with the sheep.
ما كانَ أَكبَرَ ما أوتيتَ مِن عِظَمٍ
لَو لَم يَغُرَّكَ هَذا الزائِلُ الفاني
Your high position would not have been so great
Had this fleeting, vanishing world not blinded you.
مُلكٌ مِنَ الجاهِ لَم يُرفَع لِذي خَطَرٍ
مِنَ المُلوكِ وَلَم يُجمَع لِخاقانِ
A kingdom of prestige was not raised for one of danger
Among the kings, nor gathered for a Khagan.
وَطاعَةٌ جاوَزَت أولى طَلائِعِها
أَقصى القَرارَةِ مِن روحٍ وَجُثمانِ
And obedience that exceeded its first vanguards
To the furthest extent from spirit and body.
عَمياءُ ما خَفَضَت مِصرُ الجَناحَ لَها
مِن بَطشِ فِرعَونَ أَو مِن بَأسِ هامانِ
Blind is Egypt whose wing did not lower
For the might of Pharaoh or the power of Haman.
لَو كُنتَ غَيرَكَ لَم تَقنَع بِمَنزِلَةٍ
لِأُمَّةٍ آمَنتَ مِن غَيرِ بُرهانِ
Had you been other than yourself, you would not have been content with the position
Of a nation who believed without proof.
أَومَأتَ فَاِستَنفَرَت تُدلي بِبَيعَتِها
وَاِستَرسَلَت مِن زُرافاتٍ وَوحدانِ
You signaled and they hurried to swear allegiance,
Flowing from litters and solo riders.
في جامِحٍ مِن خُطوبِ الدَهرِ ذي حَرَدٍ
صَعبِ المَقادَةِ لا يُلقي بِأَرسانِ
In a raging moment of the time’s tribulations, difficult to tame,
That does not throw bridled horses.
لَوى الشَكائِمَ وَاِستَشرى لِغايَتِهِ
لا بِالذَلولِ وَلا بِالرَيِّثِ الواني
You bent your determination and sought your goal
Neither with humility nor slowly.
أَيّامَ تَنساكَ أَخّاذاً بِحُجزَتِها
وَبِالمُخَنَّقِ مِن بَغيٍ وَعُدوانِ
Days made you forget, preoccupied with their events,
And with the strangled cries of transgression and aggression.
يَطَغى عُرامُكَ في جاهِ اِمرِئٍ صَلِفٍ
يُؤذي الأُباةَ وَيَرمي كُلَّ ذي شانِ
Your conceit in the glory of a stubborn tyrant
Who harms the dignified and casts every person of stature.
كَذي الطَرائِدِ يَرميها إِذا اِنجَفَلَت
بِكُلِّ ضارٍ هَريتِ الشَدقِ طَيّانِ
Like a hunter, he strikes them when they recoil
With every harm, vile saliva dripping from his lips.
مَرحى فَتى النيلِ لا ظُلمٌ وَلا جَنَفٌ
جازَيتَ قَومَكَ نِسياناً بِنِسيانِ
A young man of the Nile, neither unjust nor biased,
You rewarded your people with forgetfulness for forgetfulness.
ضَجَّت بِلادُكَ تَشكو ما صَنَعتَ بِها
دَعها تَضِجُّ وَتَشكو غَيرَ أَسوانِ
Your country cried out complaining of what you did to it
Leave it to cry out and complain - but not Aswan!
ماذا يُضيرُكَ إِن باتَت مُرَوَّعَةً
وَلهى وَبِتَّ بِلَيلِ الناعِمِ الهاني
What would harm you if it spent the night frightened
While you played and slept a gentle, tranquil night?
إِن كُنتَ جازَيتَ بِالكُفرانِ نِعمَتَها
فَقَد رَمَت كُلَّ ذي نُعمى بِكُفرانِ
If you repaid its blessings with ingratitude
Then every blessed one has repaid with ingratitude.
لا يَغضَبِ المَجدُ إِنَّ الحُرَّ يَفدَحُهُ
ظُلمُ البَريءِ وَنَصرُ الجارِمِ الجاني
Glory is not angered that the innocent are wronged
And the guilty criminal is aided.
يا سَعدُ إِنَّكَ ذو عِلمٍ وَتَجرِبَةٍ
فَاربَأ بِنَفسِكَ عَن خِزىً وَخُسرانِ
O Saad, you are knowledgeable and experienced
So renounce disgrace and loss for yourself.
أَسرَفتُ في النُصحِ حَتّى مَلَّني قَلَمٌ
أَرعاهُ في الأَدَبِ العالي وَيَرعاني
I have been excessive in advice until the pen wearied me
I followed etiquette in noble writing but it tired me.
يَأبى الضَراعَةَ إِلّا أَن يَدينَ بِها
لِواحِدٍ قاهِرِ السُلطانِ ديَّانِ
It refuses pleading except by submitting
To the One, the Vanquisher, the Owner of Requital.
خدنُ المروءة لم تُقدَر مراتبه
في حبِّ مصرَ لأترابٍ وَأَخدانِ
The sacrifice of manliness was not appreciated
Among the Egyptians for both compatriots and strangers.
حُرُّ المَواقِفِ في الأَقلامِ كابِرُها
عَفُّ الصَحائِفِ في سِرٍّ وَإِعلانِ
The epitomes of dignified positions in pens are their greatest,
Chaste pages both secretly and openly.
لا يَعرِفُ القَومُ هَل يَرمي بِذي شُعَلٍ
مِن مارِجِ الشِعرِ أَم يَرمي بِبُركانِ
The people do not know if I hurl a flaming torch
From the sparks of poetry or hurl a volcano.
يا زاجِرَ الطَيرِ أَمسِك عَن بَوارِحِها
ماذا تَهيجُ سِوى تَنعابِ غِربانِ
O chaser of birds stop your claws
What else do you incite but the croaking of ravens?
لا مَنطِقُ الطَيرِ مِن وَحيِ القَريضِ وَلا
عِندي بَقِيَّةُ عِلمٍ مِن سُلَيمانِ
There is no revelation in the birds' speech nor
Any remnant of Solomon's knowledge left in me.
لَكِنَّ لي نَظَراتٍ ما تُخادِعُني
أَرمي الأُمورَ بِها عَن قَلبِ لُقمانِ
But I have insights that do not deceive me,
I assess matters with them from Luqman's heart.
شَمِّر إِزارَكَ إِنَّ الأَمرَ مُنتَظِرُ
وَالدَهرُ وَيحَكَ ذو رَيبٍ وَحِدثانِ
Roll up your sleeves, matters await
While time shifts with doubts and events.
لَتَشرَبَنَّ الأَذى مَلأى مَناقِعُهُ
وَالشَربُ حَولَكَ مِن مُودٍ وَنَشوانِ
You will surely drink harm filling your cups
While drinking rounds of affection and conviviality around you.
لا يُفلِحُ القَومُ تَستَعصي عَمايَتُهُم
عَلى الهُداةِ وَلَو جاءوا بِفُرقانِ
The blind nation will not succeed though the guiding ones come to them with the Criterion.
O my people of Egypt, the matter has reached its end
إيهٍ بَني مِصرَ جازَ الأَمرُ غايَتَهُ
وَذاعَ سِرُّ اللَيالي بَعدَ كِتمانِ
And the secret of the nights has spread after being concealed.
Leave stubbornness and close every opening
دَعوا اللجاجَ وَسُدّوا كُلَّ مُنفَرِجٍ
وَأَجمَعوا الرَأيَ مِن شِيبٍ وَشُبّانِ
And unite your opinions, both old and young.
Do your hearts contain for Egypt
هَل تَحمِلونَ لِمِصرٍ في جَوانِحِكُم
إِلّا بَراكينَ أَحقادٍ وَأَضغانِ
Anything but volcanoes of hatred and grudges?
Tyranny surrounds it seeking to extinguish it
يَطغى السِبابُ حَوالَيها لِيُطفِئَها
وَما يَزيدُ لَظاها غَيرَ طُغيانِ
Yet nothing increases its flames but more tyranny.
O our people, have you seen before your ordeal
يا قَومَنا هَل رَأَيتُم قَبلَ مِحنَتِكُم
مَن قامَ يُطفِئُ نيراناً بِنيرانِ
Anyone who rises to put out fires with fires?
Who will stop every zealous transgressor for me
مَن لي بِكُلِّ حَثيثِ المَدِّ مُطَّرِدٍ
وَكُلِّ مُندَفِقِ الشُؤبوبِ هَتّانِ
And every raging torrent spewing forth?
Had they revered the sanctities of the Nile, hatreds would not have flared up
لَو عَظَّموا حُرُماتِ النيلِ ما اِضطَرَمَت
أَحقادُ قَلبٍ بِماءِ النيلِ رَيّانِ
In a heart watered by the Nile's water.
Today we only demand truth - we revere it
لا مَطلَبَ اليَومَ إِلّا الحَقُّ نُكبِرُهُ
عَن أَن يَهونَ وَأَن يُرمى بِنُقصانِ
That it not be diminished or blemished.
They said: "Take it as stars, for it is hoarded"
قالوا خُذوهُ نُجوماً فَهوَ مُدَّخَرٌ
في مَخلَبِ اللَيثِ يَحميهِ لِإِبّانِ
In the lion's claw protecting it for revelation.
God is Greater! The mockers amongst us exceeded bounds
اللَهُ أَكبَرُ جَدَّ اللاعِبونَ بِنا
وَأَعمَلَ الذَمَّ فينا كُلُّ طَعّانِ
And the blamers worked the worst blame among us.
Do they not see anything but bounty in our valleys
أَما يَرَونَ بَوادينا سِوى نَعَمٍ
وَلا يُصيبونَ مِنّا غَيرَ قِطعانِ
And gain nothing from us but livestock?
The truth will uncover every covering from them
سَيَكشِفُ الجِدُّ عَنهُم كُلَّ غاشِيَةٍ
وَيوقِظُ الحَقُّ مِنهُم كُلَّ وَسنانِ
And rouse the right from their every complacent one.
Join the hearts of the Nile's youth and be determined
ضُمّوا القُلوبَ شَبابَ النيلِ وَاِعتَزِموا
لا يَشمِتَنَّ بِكُم ذو البِغضَةِ الشاني
Let no hostile critic gloat over you.
Suspicion suspected you, made by those who do not know you
ظَنَّ الظُنونَ بِكُم مَن لَيسَ يَعرِفُكُم
وَالأَمرُ ذو صُوَرٍ شَتّى وَأَلوانِ
While the matter has diverse forms and colors.
Where are the enlightened minds with God's light?
أَينَ العُقولُ بِنورِ اللَهِ مُشرِقَةً
أَينَ الذَخائِرُ مِن عِلمٍ وَعِرفانِ
Where are the treasures of knowledge and perception?
Where are the pure consciences and morals?
أَينَ الضَمائِرُ وَالأَخلاقُ طاهِرَةً
أَينَ المَواقِفُ تَشفي كُلَّ حَرّانِ
Where are the decisive stands that quench every confusion?
The youth of Egypt - if your zeal is stirred
مِصرُ الفَتِيَّةُ إِن هاجَت حَمِيَّتَكُم
كُنتُم لَها خَيرَ أَنصارٍ وَأَعوانِ
You have been the best supporters and aides.
The destroyers are many amongst you
الهادِمونَ كَثيرٌ بَينَ أَظهُرِكُم
شُدّوا البِناءَ وَصونوا حُرمَةَ الباني
Build and preserve the sanctity of the builder.
Do no souls flow except those whose sides
أَما تَسيلُ نُفوسٌ ريعَ جانِبُها
عَلى جَوانِبَ تَبكيهِ وَأَركانِ
Weep over its sides and pillars?
It reached out appealing for your help
مَدَّ اليَمينَ إِلَيكُم يَستَغيثُ بِكُم
هُبّوا سِراعاً وَمُدّوهُ بِأَيمانِ
Rush to its aid and support it with your oaths.
Have you preferred a life of ease for yourselves
أَإِن طَوى العَيشَ آثَرتُم لِأَنفُسِكُم
ما آثَرَ اليَومَ مِن قَبرٍ وَأَكفانِ
Over what the day has left of graves and shrouds?
I seek refuge for you from a loyalty that
أُعيذُكُم مِن وَفاءٍ راحَ يُنكِرُهُ
ما في الجَوانِحِ مِن صَبرٍ وَسَلوانِ
Hearts no longer acknowledge or have patience for.
Take the path to the Most High and excel
خُذوا السَبيلَ إِلى العَلياءِ وَاِستَبقوا
لِلمَجدِ في كُلِّ مُستَنٍّ وَمَيدانِ
In glory in every plain and arena.
The call of truth is more worthy to be heeded
أَدَعوَةُ الحَقِّ أَولى أَن يُصاخَ لَها
أَم دَعوَةٌ خَرَجَت مِن جَوفِ شَيطانِ
Than a call from the gut of a devil.
Its sender heralded signs today - so what
اليَومَ آذَنَ بِالآياتِ مُرسِلُها
ماذا تُرَجّونَ مِنهُ بَعدَ إيذانِ
More do you expect after the notice?
If today it hangs its pledge from your necks
إِن تَعلِقِ اليَومَ بِالأَعناقِ بَيعَتُهُ
يَعلَق بِكُلِّ وَريدٍ نابُ ثُعبانِ
On every vein the fang of a serpent will hang.
Had I been one of those who carried it
لَو كُنتُ حاشايَ مِمَّن راحَ يَحمِلُها
طارَت بِها الريحُ فَوضَى مُنذُ أَزمانِ
It would have been scattered by the wind into chaos long ago.
The soil of harm did not carry for his nation
تِربُ الإِساءَةِ لَم يَحمِل لِأُمَّتِهِ
غَيرَ العُقوقِ وَلَم يَهمِم بِإِحسانِ
Anything but filial disobedience and failed to do good.
The erector of swings for the people thinks
جَمُّ الأَراجيحِ لِلأَقوامِ يَنصِبُها
يَظُنُّ أَحلامَهُم أَحلامَ صِبيانِ
Their dreams are the dreams of little children.
Who can defeat God or target His Caliphs
مَن يَغلِبُ اللَهَ أَو يَرمي خَلائِفَهُ
في العالَمينَ بِكَيدٍ أَو بِخِذلانِ
In both worlds with cunning or humiliation?
Those who raise the banner of truth since they became known
الرافِعينَ لِواءَ الحَقِّ مُذ عُرِفوا
مِن كُلِّ راضٍ لِوَجهِ اللَهِ غَضبانِ
Are angry at every complacent one for God's sake.
Who prevent encroachment on Egypt when it panics
المانِعينَ حِمى مِصرٍ إِذا فَزِعَت
وَاِستَصرَخَت مِن بَنيها كُلَّ غَيرانِ
And appeals for help from all its fiery youth.
Every open-handed non-miserly person
مِن كُلِّ مُتلِفِ مالٍ غَيرَ ذي أَسَفٍ
وَكُلِّ باذِلِ نَفسٍ غَيرَ مَنّانِ
And every self-sacrificing unselfish soul.
A nation became mighty through them, mighty through what it possessed
عَزَّت بِهِم أُمَّةٌ عَزَّت بِما مَلَكَت
في قُوَّةِ الحَقِّ مِن عِزٍّ وَسُلطانِ
In the power of truth of might and authority.
We refuse positions except in their hearts
نَأبى المَناصِبَ إِلّا في جَوانِحِها
يَنُصُّها كُلُّ ذي لُبٍّ وَوِجدانِ
Supported by every sensible and wise soul.
And we disdain money unless it overflows
ونزدري المالَ إلا أن تفيض به
دقَّاتُ قلبٍ بنجوى الحبِّ رنَّانِ
With the donations of a heart whispering tenderly.
We uncompromisingly seek the truth, we ascend
قَياصِرُ الحَقِّ نَستَولي عَلى سُرُرٍ
مِنَ الجَلالِ وَنَستَعلي بِتيجانِ
Thrones of glory and elevate with crowns.
We desire none but the life of prophets
لا نَبتَغي غَيرَ دُنيا الأَنبِياءِ وَلا
نَرضى سِوى اللَهِ مِن رَبٍّ لَنا ثانِ
And accept none but God as a second Lord for us.
We have over every nation that compares with us
لَنا عَلى كُلِّ قَومٍ يوزَنونَ بِنا
مِلءُ المَوازينِ مِن فَضلٍ وَرُجحانِ
Full scales of virtue and preference.
None who intended to disobey
لَم يُؤثِرِ الخُطَّةَ المُثلى طَواعِيَةً
لِلَهِ مَن راحَ يرمينا بِعِصيانِ
Chose the optimal plan willingly for God.
Repel the agitator, protectors of the living, and be cautious
رُدّوا المُغيرَ حُماةَ الحَيِّ وَاِحتَرِسوا
إِنَّ السَراحينَ تَخشى كُلَّ يَقظانِ
For the hunted fear every wakeful one.
Every loss of something valuable is momentous and majestic
وَكُلُّ ضَيعَةِ غالٍ حادِثٌ جَلَلٌ
وَلا كَضَيعَةِ أَقوامٍ وَأَوطانِ
Not like the loss of people and homelands.
Be determined to the highest goal and do not waver
جِدّوا إِلى الغايَةِ القُصوى وَلا تَهنوا
إِنَّ الرِجالَ أولو جِدٍّ وَإِمعانِ
For men are those with determination and persistence.
Leave your beds - your watchers are plenty
دَعوا المَضاجِعَ إِنَّ الرابِضينَ لَكُم
مِلءُ المَراصِدِ مِن إِنسٍ وَجِنّانِ
Among jinn and humans filling the observatories.
They are not still when a person's soul is still
لا يَسكُنونَ إِذا نَفسُ اِمرِئٍ سَكَنَت
وَلا يَمُرُّ الكَرى مِنهُم بِأَجفانِ
Nor does fate pass them by with closed eyes.
If they notice a lapse, no panic will shake you -
إِن يُبصِروا غِرَّةً لا يُجدِكُم فَزَعٌ
هَل يَرجِعُ الأَمرُ أَعيا بَعدَ إِمكانِ
Can matters return the blind after possibility?
God is around you protecting your sides
اللَهُ مِن حَولِكُم يَحمي جَوانِبَكُم
فَجاهِدوا لا تَخافوا كَيدَ إِنسانِ
So strive and do not fear the cunning of man.
