أَلا لا أَرى في مِصرَ إلّا دَعاوِياً

وَإِلّا صَدىً يُشجي الرِياحَ الذَوارِيا

Alas! I see in Egypt naught but empty claims,

And but echoing shouts that stir the raging winds.

أَرى هِمَماً يَعصِفَنَّ بِالنَجمِ رِفعَةً

وَهُنَّ جِثِيٌّ ما رَفَعنَ النَواصِيا

I see ambitions that vainly storm the stars,

While in truth they have not raised their heads on high.

أَرى شِيَماً تُفني الأَماديحَ كُلَّها

وَما بَرَحَت تُملي عَلَيَّ الأَهاجِيا

I see morals that destroy all praise utterly,

Ceaselessly dictating fabrications to me.

أَرى ذِمَماً يُنسينَ في الدَهرِ مَن وَفى

وَيُولِعنَ بِالغَدرِ الذِئابَ الضَوارِيا

I see disgraces that in time make one forget,

Those faithful, igniting in the wolves savage flames.

أَرى أُمَّةً لا يُخطِئُ المَجدَ سَعيُها

وَلَكِنَّها لا تَستَطيعُ المَساعِيا

I see a nation whose endeavor never fails glory,

Yet has not the strength to strive for it steadfastly.

وَلَولا رِجالٌ جاهَدوا لِبَقائِها

لَما تَرَكتَ مِنها يَدُ الدَهرِ باقِيا

And were it not for the men who fought for its survival,

Time’s hand would have left naught of it remaining.

أولَئِكَ رُوّادُ الحَياةِ رَمَت بِهِم

مَطايا المُنى في الخافِقَينِ المَرامِيا

They are life’s pioneers whom the steeds of fate bore

To the far horizons, lofty and unbending.

يُنادونَ في الأَقطارِ إِنّا نُريدُها

حَياةً تَرُدُّ النيلَ رَيّانَ صافِيا

They call out in the lands: we desire it

A life restoring the Nile’s waters pure and free.

فَلَسنا حماة النيل حتى نعزَّهُ

وحتى نرى ملكَ الكنانة عاليا

We are not guards of the Nile to be content

And to see the reign of Kananah triumphant.

أنتركها لِلغاصِبينَ وَنَبتَغي

لَنا وَطَناً فَوقَ البَسيطَةِ ثانِيا

Shall we leave it to the usurpers and seek

For ourselves a new home atop the hills another?

غَضِبنا لِمِصرٍ غَضبَةً ما نَرُدُّها

إِلى أَن نَرى المُختارَ في القَبرِ راضِيا

We were angered for Egypt with lasting ire

Until we see the Chosen One pleased in the grave.

فَلَسنا ذَويهِ إِن أَضَعنا تُراثَهُ

وَلَسنا بَنيها إِن أَطَعنا الأَعادِيا

We are not its protectors if we forfeit its heritage,

Nor are we its children if we obey its enemies.

أَنُمسي عَبيداً يَملِكونَ نُفوسَنا

وَأَموالَنا مِن دونِنا وَالذَرارِيا

Shall we become slaves possessing our souls

And wealth without our approval, we and our seed?

أَما يَسأَلونَ الدَهرَ إِذ نَحنُ أُمَّةٌ

نَسوسُ الوَرى ساداتِهِم وَالمَوالِيا

Do they not ask fate, while we are a nation

That rules the earth’s domains, lords and servants?

رَفَعنا عَلى هامِ المَمالِكِ حُكمَنا

فَكانَ لَها تاجاً مِنَ العَدلِ غالِيا

We raised our rule on the crown of kingdoms,

So it had a crown of precious justice.

وَكُنّا إِذا هَزَّ المُلوكَ عُرامُها

هَزَزنا لَهُم أَسيافَنا وَالعَوالِيا

Whenever their grandees were shaken,

Our swords and steeds did shake them in turn.

أَفَالآنَ لَمّا غَيَّرَ الدَهرُ عَهدَهُ

يُريدُ الأَعادي أَن نُطيلَ التَغاضِيا

Now that fate has changed its epoch,

Do enemies wish that we remain complacent?

سَيَنسِفُ بَغيُ القَومِ شامِخَ عِزِّنا

إِذا نَسَفَ الوَهمُ الجِبالَ الرَواسِيا

Their arrogant ambition will demolish our towering glory

Should illusion topple the firmly standing mountains.

دَرَجنا عَلى أَنّا نَكونُ أَعِزَّةً

نَصولُ فَنَجتاحُ العَدُوَّ المُناوِيا

We have resolved to remain most noble,

To charge and defeat the hostile adversary.

نَدينُ بِأَلّا تُستَباحَ بِلادُنا

وَأَلّا نَرى فيها مَدى الدَهرِ غازِيا

We believe that our lands must not be defiled,

Never to see an invader pass through them in our time.

وَلَن يَقضِيَ الإِنسانُ حَقَّ بِلادِهِ

إِذا هُوَ لَم يَبذُل لَها النَفسَ فادِيا

Man cannot fulfill his duty to his country

Unless he offers his soul to ransom it.

شُغِفنا بِوادي النيلِ إِذ نَحنُ أَهلُهُ

فَأَحبِب بِنا أَهلاً وَبِالنيلِ وادِيا

We yearned for the Nile Valley as we are its people,

So love it as a people, and as a valley love it!

أَما ودُموعِ المُدَّعينَ بِهِ الهَوى

لَقَد كِدنَ يُضحِكنَ القُلوبَ البَواكِيا

By the tears of those who falsely claim to love it,

They almost make hearts mourning with sorrow laugh.

أَلَحَّت تَباريحُ الغَرامِ فَمَيَّزَت

أَخا الصِدقِ مِنّا وَالدَعِيَّ المُرائِيا

The nights of passion have distinguished

The brother sincere from the pretentious liar.

جَزى اللَهُ في ذاتِ الإِلَهِ جِهادَنا

وَرَوَّحَ هاتيكَ النُفوسَ العَوانِيا

May God reward from His Divine Self our striving,

And exhilarate those high-aspiring souls.

أَلا إِنَّهُ خَيرٌ مُثيباً وَجازِياً

وَلَن يَخذِلَ الهُدّامُ مَن كانَ بانِيا

Behold, He is Best at rewarding and recompensing,

And will not let the destroyer defeat the builder!