دَعا فَأَثار الساكنين دعاؤُهُ

وَنادى فَراعَ الآمنين نِداؤُهُ

He called and his call roused the heedless,

And cried aloud, startling the tranquil with his cry.

أَخو وَصَبٍ ما إِن يَحمُّ اِنقضاؤه

وَذو أَرَبٍ ما إِن يَحين قَضاؤُهُ

A brother whose ties will not defend when they are severed,

A kinsman whose kinship avails naught when it is tested.

بِهِ مِن بَني مَصرٍ عَناءٌ مُبرِّحٌ

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري هَل يَزولُ عَناؤُهُ

From Egypt’s folk he brought distress that vexes grievously.

Would that I knew, will his distress be ever dispelled?

أَما إِنَّهُ لَو كانَ يَشفِي غَليلَهُ

بُكاءٌ عَلى مِصرٍ لَطالَ بُكاؤهُ

Nay, but tears for Egypt will never assuage their anguish

If they wept for her, their weeping would last forever.

تقسَّمها الأَقوامُ لا ذو حَمِيَّةٍ

فَيَحمي وَلا واقٍ فَيُرجى وَقاؤُهُ

The tribes partitioned her, none with loving heart to shield her

And ward her – none trusty to be hoped for and relied on.

وَما مِصرُ إِلّا مَوطنٌ نَحنُ أَهلُهُ

عَزيزٌ عَلَينا أَرضُهُ وَسَماؤُهُ

Egypt’s only our homeland, precious to us her land and skies.

Blest was her bliss before adversity, but blest too its advent after.

فَيا حَبّذا قَبل الشَقاءِ نَعيمُهُ

وَيا حَبّذا بَعد النَعيمِ شَقاؤُهُ

Some settled in her, but we wearied of their settlement;

Would that settling were without tedium of settlers!

ثَوى فيهِ أَقوامٌ مَلَلنا ثَواءَهم

وَيا رُبَّ ثاوٍ لا يُملُّ ثَواؤُهُ

Staunch was she, disdaining humiliation by an aggressor -

Would that I knew where her staunchness went, where her pride!

لَقَد كانَ يَأبى أَن يَذِلَّ لغاصبٍ

فَيا لَيتَ شِعري أَينَ ضاعَ إِباؤُهُ

Would that I knew where her might departed and her glory,

Her repute and pre-eminence fled!

وَيا لَيتَ شِعري أَيَّةً بانَ عِزُّهُ

وَأَينَ تَولَّى مَجدُهُ وَعَلاؤُهُ

She was guarded by men mighty and proud;

Through the caprices of time they were her protection.

لَقَد كانَ يَرعاه رِجالٌ أَعِزَّةٌ

بِهم مِن صُروفِ الدَهرِ كانَ احتماؤُهُ

They who beat back from her preserved her repute

With the firm resolve that none could make recoil.

همو ضارَبوا عَنهُ فَصانوا ذِمارَهُ

بِصارِمِ عَزمٍ ما يُرَدُّ مَضاؤُهُ

My countrymen, provoke her not against you,

For her wrath and her favor are not equal.

بَني وَطَني لا تُسخِطوهُ عَليكمو

فَلَيسَ سَواءً سُخطهُ وَرِضاؤُهُ

My countrymen, put cowardice far from you,

For it will overwhelm you along with its misfortune.

بَني وَطني خَلّوا التَخاذُلَ إِنَّهُ

بَلاؤكمو يَجتاحكم وَبلاؤُهُ