بِرَبِّكَ ماذا أَصابَ البِلادا
فَما تَنظُرُ العَينُ إِلّا حِدادا
By your Lord, what has befallen the country?
The eye sees nothing but grief.
فَوَيحَ القُلوبِ وَوَيحَ العُيونِ
لِحُزنٍ تَوالى وَخَطبٍ تَمادى
Alas for the hearts and alas for the eyes,
For sorrows that continue and troubles that persist.
فَقَدنا الظَهيرَ فَقَدنا النَصيرَ
فَقَدنا المُجيرَ فَقَدنا العِمادا
We have lost the supporter, we have lost the helper,
We have lost the protector, we have lost the pillar.
فَقَدنا المَضاءَ فَقَدنا الوَفاءَ
فَقَدنا الإِباءَ فَقَدنا السَدادا
We have lost generosity, we have lost loyalty,
We have lost nobility, we have lost integrity.
فَيا لَكَ خَطباً يَهولُ النُفوسَ
وَيَأبى عَلى الدَهرِ إِلّا اِشتِدادا
O what grievous news that appalls souls!
And time insists on getting even worse.
وَيا طولَ وَجدي عَلى أُمَّةٍ
أَساءَ الزَمانُ بِها ما أَرادا
O how long my pain for a nation
Whose times did with it as they pleased!
إِذا أَنجَبت رَجُلاً عاجَلَتهُ
يَدُ المَوتِ تُفجِعُ فيهِ البِلادا
When it brought forth a man, the hand of death was quick
To overwhelm him, bringing grief to the country.
سَلامٌ عَلى راقِدٍ لَم يَكُن
لِيَهوى القَرارَ وَيَرضى الرُقادا
Peace be upon one who lies dead, having never wished
To settle down or be content to slumber.
وَأَدنى العُيونِ مِنَ النَومِ عَينٌ
تُميتُ طِوالَ اللَيالي سُهادا
The eyes closest to sleep are eyes
That slay the long nights with wakefulness.
فَإِن يَستَرِح جِسمُهُ في الثَرى
فَذَلِكَ مِمّا أَطالَ الجِهادا
If his body finds rest in the earth,
That is after prolonged struggle.
جِنايَةُ نَفسٍ لَو اِستودِعَت
ذُرى شاهِقٍ مُستَقِرٍّ لَمادا
A crime it was that a soul, if entrusted
To the highest, steepest mountain, would not be secure.
وَإِنَّ النُفوسَ مَطايا الجُسومِ
إِلى المَوتِ لَو نَستَبينُ الرَشادا
Souls are indeed the steeds of bodies
To death, if we would look for guidance.
فَأَمّا الشِدادُ فَتَمضي سِراعاً
وَأَمّا الضِعافُ فَتَمشي اِتِّئادا
As for the hardy, they go quickly,
While the weak walk haltingly.
وَإِنَّ حَياةَ الفَتى كَالثَراءِ
يُصَرِّفُهُ سَرَفاً وَاِقتِصادا
A young man's life is like wealth:
He disposes it lavishly or thriftily.
فَهَذا يُؤَخِّرُ مِنهُ البَقاءَ
وَهَذا يُعَجِّلُ مِنهُ النَفادا
One postpones its remainder;
Another hastens its dwindling.
نَظُنُّ الحَياةَ دَماً جائِلاً
وَروحاً تَقينا البَلى وَالفَسادا
We fancy life is blood forever flowing,
A spirit that saves us from decay and corruption.
وَما هِيَ إلّا حِسانُ الفِعالِ
تُفيدُ البِلادَ وَتُجدي العِبادا
Yet it is only the good deeds
That benefit the country and aid the servants of God.
فَلا رَحِمَ اللَهُ إِلّا اِمرَأً
يُجيبُ نِداءَ العُلا إِذ يُنادى
God have no mercy on a man who does not
Respond when high ambitions call,
يَخوضُ إِلَيها جِسامَ الأُمورِ
وَيَقتادُ فيها الصِعابَ اِقتِيادا
And plunge into the thick of things,
Marching through difficulties purposefully!
وَلَو أَبصَرَ المَوتَ مِن دونِها
لَما رامَ عَن جانِبَيها اِرتِدادا
If he saw death apart from this,
He would not think of retreating.
عَزاءً بَني مِصرَ عَن كَوكِبٍ
أَحالَتهُ أَيدي المَنايا رَمادا
Comfort the people of Egypt for the loss
Of a star that the hands of fate have turned to ashes,
كَأَنّي بِهِ يَستَثيرُ القُبورَ
وَيَبعَثُ فيها الحَياةَ اِجتِهادا
As though I see him rousing the tombs
And quickening life in them strenuously,
كَأَنّي بِأَيدي البِلى واهِناتٍ
تُمارِسُ مِنهُ خُطوباً شِدادا
As though I see the hands of destruction, enfeebled,
Inflicting on him the worst calamities.
عَزاءً بَني مِصرَ عَن فَقدِهِ
وَضَنّاً بِشِرعَتِهِ وَاِعتِدادا
Comfort the people of Egypt for his absence
And sympathy for his companions and comrades.
وَلا تَتَعادَوا فَإِنَّ الشُعوبَ
تَموتُ اِنقِساماً وَتَحيا اِتِّحادا
Do not let yourselves diverge, for nations
Die when divided and live when united.
