لَقَد لَبّى زَعيمُكُمُ النِداءَ
عَزاءً أَهلَ دِمياطٍ عَزاءَ
Your leader has responded to the call
To console Dimyat's people, giving consolation
وَإِن كانَ المُعَزّي وَالمُعَزّى
وَكُلُّ الناسِ في البَلوى سَواءَ
Though the consoler and the consoled are equal
And all people share in tribulation
فُجِعنا كُلُّنا بِعَلائِلِيٍّ
كَرُكنِ النَجمِ أَو أَسنى عَلاءَ
We all grieved for Al-'Alayli
Like stars in Taurus or the lofty plateau
أَرَقُّ شَبابِ دِمياطٍ عَلَيها
وَأَنشَطُهُم لِحاجَتِها قَضاءَ
The finest of Dimyat's youth upon it
And the most active to fulfill its needs
وَخَيرُ بُيوتِها كَرَماً وَتَقوى
وَأَصلاً في السِيادَةِ وَاِنتِهاءَ
The best of its homes in generosity and piety
And origin in leadership and climax
فَتىً كَالرُمحِ عالِيَةً رُعوداً
وَكَالصَمصامِ إِفرِنداً وَماءَ
A young man like a towering, thundering spear
And like a drawn sword, gallant and ready
وَأَعطى المالَ وَالهِمَمَ العَوالي
وَلَم يُعطِ الكَرامَةَ وَالإِباءَ
He gave wealth and lofty ambitions
But did not give dignity and refusal
شَبابٌ ضارَعَ الرَيحانَ طيباً
وَنازَعَهُ البَشاشَةَ وَالبَهاءَ
A youth who rivaled the basil in fragrance
And competed with cheerfulness and splendor
وَجُندِيُّ القَضِيَةِ مُنذُ قامَت
تَعَلَّمَ تَحتَ رايَتِها اللِقاءَ
A soldier for the cause since it began
He learned under its banner readiness for sacrifice
وَرُوِّعَ شَيخُها العالي بِيَومٍ
فَكانَ بِمَنكِبَيهِ لَهُ وِقاءَ
And its venerable elder was frightened one day
So he gave him protection with his shoulders
سَعى لِضَميرِهِ وَلَوَجهِ مِصرٍ
وَلَم يَتَوَلَّ يَنتَظِرُ الجَزاءَ
He strove for his conscience and Egypt's dignity
And did not hesitate waiting for reward
وَنَعشٍ كَالغَمامِ يَرِفُّ ظِلّاً
إِذا ذَهَبَ الزِحامُ بِهِ وَجاءَ
A funeral procession like a shady cloud
When the crowds depart and it comes
وَلَم تَقَعِ العُيونُ عَلَيهِ إِلّا
أَثارَ الحُزنَ أَو بَعَثَ البُكاءَ
And no eyes fell upon it except
It stirred grief or awakened crying
عَجِبنا كَيفَ لَم يَخضَرَّ عوداً
وَقَد حَمَلَ المُروءَةَ والرُفاءَ
We wondered how the plank did not grow green
When it carried chivalry and loftiness
مَشَت دِمياطُ فَاِلتَفَّت عَلَيهِ
تُنازِعُهُ الذَخيرَةَ وَالرَجاءَ
Dimyat walked, turning toward it
Competing with it for provision and hope
بَني دِمياطَ ما شَيءٌ بِباقٍ
سِوى الفَردِ الَّذي اِحتَكَرَ البَقاءَ
O people of Dimyat, nothing remains
Except the One who alone possesses eternity
تَعالى اللَهُ لا يَبقى سِواهُ
إِذا وَرَدَت بِرِيَّتَهُ الفَناءَ
God Most High, none but Him remains
When His creation passes into oblivion
وَأَنتُم أَهلُ إيمانٍ وَتَقوى
فَهَل تَلقَونَ بِالعَتبِ القَضاءَ
And you are people of faith and piety
Do you accept fate's rebuke?
مَلَأتُم مِن بُيوتِ اللَهِ أَرضاً
وَمِن داعي البُكورِ لَها سَماءَ
You filled the earth with God's houses
And the heaven with the dawn caller's summons
وَلا تَستَقبِلونَ الفَجرَ إِلّا
عَلى قَدَمِ الصَلاةِ إِذا أَضاءَ
You greet the dawn only
With feet set for prayer when it lights up
وَتَرتَقِبونَ مَطلَعَهُ صِغاراً
وَتَستَبِقونَ غُرَّتَهُ نِساءَ
You watch for its rising, children
And women hasten its first glow
وَكَم مِن مَوقِفٍ ماضٍ وَقَفتُم
فَكُنتُم فيهِ لِلوَطَنِ الفِداءَ
And how many past stances you took
When you were ransom for the nation
دَفَعتُم غارَةً شَعواءَ عَنهُ
وَذُدتُم عَن حَواضِرِهِ البَلاءَ
You repelled a ferocious raid from it
And protected its cities from tribulation
أَخي عَبدَ الحَليمِ وَلَستُ أَدري
أَأَدعو الصِهرَ أَم أَدعو الإِخاءَ
My brother Abdel Halim, I do not know
Should I say brother-in-law or brotherhood?
وَكَم صَحَّ الوِدادُ فَكانَ صِهراً
وَكانَ كَأَقرَبِ القُربى صَفاءَ
How much affection grew into kinship
And was like the closest blood ties in purity
عَجيبٌ تَركُكَ الدُنيا سَقيماً
وَكُنتَ النَحلَ تَملَؤُها شِفاءَ
Strange that you left the world ill
When you were honey that healing fills
وَكُنّا حينَ يُعضِلُ كُلُّ داءٍ
نَجيءُ إِلَيكَ نَجعَلُكَ الدَواءَ
And when all maladies posed riddles
We would come to you making you the cure
مَضَت بِكَ آلَةٌ حَدباءُ كانَت
عَلى الزَمَنِ المَطِيَّةَ وَالوِطاءَ
A crooked instrument took you away
Rider of time and fate's mount
وَسارَت خَلفَكَ الأَحزابُ صَفّاً
وَسِرتَ فَكُنتَ في الصَفِّ اللِواءَ
And the parties walked behind you in rows
While you were the banner in the row
تُوَلِّفُ بَينَهُم مَيتاً وَتَبني
كَعَهدِكَ في الحَياةِ لَهُم وَلاءَ
Bringing them together dead, remaining loyal
As was your way in life, giving them allegiance
