أَسَمِعْتَ شَدْوَ الطَّائِرِ الْغِرِّيدِ
هَزِجًا يُنَاغِي فَجْرَ يَوْمِ الْعِيدِ؟
Have you heard the warbling of the bird greeting
The dawn of Eid with joyous song?
وَبَدَا عَمُودُ الصُّبْحِ أَبْيَضَ نَاصِعًا
كَالسَّلْسَلِ الضَّحْضَاحِ فَوْقَ جَلِيدِ
The pillar of morning appeared dazzling white
Like a shimmering necklace upon the neck of a bride,
أَوْ كَالْيَدِ الْبَيْضَاءِ تَنْضَحُ بِالنَّدَى
وَالْغَيْثِ، أَوْ جِيدِ الْعَذَارَى الْغِيدِ
Or like a white hand dripping with dew
And rain, or the smooth neck of a maiden.
أَوْ كَاقْتِبَالِ الْحُسْنِ بَعْدَ تَحَجُّبٍ
أَوْ كَابْتِسَامِ الدَّلِّ بَعْدَ صُدُودِ
Or like the unveiling of beauty after modesty,
Or the smile of a darling after aloofness.
وَإِذَا لَمَحْتَ الشَّرْقَ خِلْتَ عَرَائِسًا
مَاسَتْ بِثَوْبٍ كَالشَّبَابِ جَدِيدِ
The blood of youth has wondrous intoxications
That the blood of grapes has never attained.
يَرْفُلْنَ فِي ضَافِي الضِّيَاءِ نَوَاعِمًا
فِي سِحْرِ أَنْغَامٍ، وَلِينِ قُدُودِ
Between a drowsy eyelid and another ardent with love,
One replete, the other fervent with passion.
وَدَمُ الشَّبَابِ لَهُ رَوَائِعُ نَشْوَةٍ
مَا نَالَهَا يَوْمًا دَمُ الْعُنْقُودِ
I bade farewell to the days of youth in throngs
After time had blown its winds upon my pen.
مَا بَيْنَ طَرْفٍ بِالْخَدِيعَةِ نَاعِسٍ
ثَمِلٍ، وَآخَرَ فِي الْهَوَى عِرْبِيدِ
When they cross my mind they are like a sleeping vision,
And when they whisper, like the echo of a song.
وَدَّعْتُ أَيَّامَ الشَّبَابِ حَوَافِلًا
مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا عَصَفَ الْمَشِيبُ بِعُودِي
I yearn for a time as though I yearn
For a star in the distant sky.
فَإِذَا خَطَرْنَ، فَهُنَّ رُؤْيَا نَائِمٍ
وَإِذَا هَمَسْنَ، فَهُنَّ رَجْعُ نَشِيدِ
And I see life without youth as mirage
Gleams over the barren plains.
أَرْنُو إِلَى عَهْدٍ لهُنَّ كَأَنَّمَا
أَرْنُو لِنَجْمٍ فِي السَّمَاءِ بَعِيدِ
Youth is the nectar of the flowers of meadows
And the murmur of gently waving branches.
وَأَرَى الْحَيَاةَ بِلَا شَبَابٍ مِثْلَمَا
لَمَعَ السَّرَابُ بِمُقْفِرَاتِ الْبِيدِ
It carries hopes in their prime
And lights the night of the weary and exhausted.
إِنَّ الشَّبَابَ رَحِيقُ أَزْهَارِ الرُّبَا
وَحَفِيفُ غُصْنِ الْبَانَةِ الْأُمْلُودِ
It is the radiance of the world when it approaches,
And the fulfillment of a promise safe from threats.
وَمَطِيَّةُ الْآمَالِ فِي رَيْعَانِهَا
وَسِرَاجُ لَيْلِ السَّاهِدِ الْمَجْهُودِ
It is the first page in the book of life
Begun with "In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful".
وَبَشَاشَةُ الدُّنْيَا إِذَا مَا أَقْبَلَتْ
وَنَجَاةُ وَعْدٍ مِنْ أَكُفِّ وَعِيدِ
The springtime of life's days has smiled
And its gardens laughed with blooming roses.
هُوَ فِي كِتَابِ الْعُمْرِ أوَّلُ صَفْحَةٍ
بُدِئَتْ بِبِسْمِ اللهِ وَالتَّحْمِيدِ
Al-Wasm gave it braided locks,
And Al-Waly came to it with fragrant basil.
وَرَبِيعُ أَيَّامِ الْحَيَاةِ تَبَسَّمَتْ
رَوْضَاتُهُ عَنْ ضَاحِكَاتِ وُرُودِ
The breeze fondled eyes
Of narcissi and smelled of rosy cheeks.
أَهْدَى لَهَا الْوَسْمِيُّ نَسْجَ غَلَائِلٍ
وَأَتَى الْوَلِيُّ لَهَا بِوَشْيِ بُرُودِ
Youth - how long ago was its era!
It is like a green oasis in the arid desert,
وَسَرَى النَّسِيمُ بِهَا يُغَازِلُ أَعْيُنًا
مِنْ نَرْجِسٍ وَيشَمُّ وَرْدَ خُدُودِ
Finding around it water and shade despite
The barrenness of drought and merciless harshness.
إِنَّ الشَّبَابَ، وَمَا أُحَيْلَى عَهْدَهُ!
كَالْوَاحَةِ الْخَضْرَاءِ فِي الصَّيْهُودِ
I have shed the cloak of youth
And turned away from the heedlessness of foolishness.
تَلْقَى بِهَا مَاءً وَظِلًّا حَوْلَهُ
جَدْبُ الْجَفَافِ وَقَسْوَةُ الْجُلْمُودِ
I have chosen the ancients as my companions
And made the wise sayings my creed.
إِنِّي طَرَحْتُ مِنَ الشَّبَابِ رِدَاءَهُ
وَثَنَيْتُ عَنْ لَهْوِ الصَّبَابَةِ جِيدِي
I have passed through history filling my eyes
With it, and revived through it my existence.
وَاخْتَرْتُ مِنْ صُحُفِ الْأَوَائِلِ صَاحِبِي
وَجَعَلْتُ مَأْثُورَ الْبَيَانِ عَقِيدِي
How many scholars I have met in its pages!
How many conquerors I have reached in its midst!
وَمَرَرْتُ بِالتَّارِيخِ أَمْلَأُ نَاظِرِي
مِنْهُ وَأُحْيِي بِالْفَنَاءِ وُجُودِي
And if you seek a message from the ages
The pages of history are the best missive.
كَمْ عَالِمِ ٍقَابَلْتَ فِي صَفَحَاتِهِ
وَلَكَمْ ظَفَرْتُ بِفَاتِحٍ صِنْدِيدِ!
I bend to my pen as if its scratching
In my tired ear were the melody of a lute.
وَإِذَا الْتَمَسْتَ مِنَ الدُّهُورِ رِسَالَةً
فَصَحَائِفُ التَّارِيخِ خَيْرُ بَرِيدِ
And I live in a world of imagination
To regain what is lost and gone.
أَحْنُو إِلَى قَلَمِي كَأَنَّ صَرِيرَهُ
فِي مِسْمَعِي الْمَكْدُودِ رَنَّةُ عُودِ
How many nights I conversed heedlessly with my poetry
While the stars watched us jealously with resentful eyes.
وَأَعِيشُ فِي دُنْيَا الْخَيَالِ لِأَنَّنِي
أَحْظَى بِهَا بِالْفَائِتِ الْمَفْقُودِ
Sometimes it eludes me and I gaze beseechingly
Until it softens after aloofness and resentment.
كَمْ لَيْلَةٍ سَامَرْتُ شِعْرِيَ لَاهِيًا
وَالنَّجْمُ يَلْحَظُنَا بِعَيْنِ حَسُودِ
And I warble song until it draws near
And I attain its last verses with melody.
حِينًا يُرَاوِغُنِي فَأَنْظُرُ ضَارِعًا
فَيَلِينُ بَعْدَ تَنَكُّرٍ وَجُحُودِ
I have cleansed it of all that propriety rejects
And chaste hearing shuns.
وَلَقَدْ أُغَرِّدُ بِالْقَرِيضِ فَيَنْثَنِي
فَأَنَالُ قَادِمَتَيْهِ بِالتَّغْرِيدِ
And I have infused into it treasured experiences -
They are all my wealth and fortune.
طَهَّرْتُهُ مِنْ كُلِّ مَا تَأْبَى النُّهَى
وَيَعَافُهُ سَمْعُ الْحِسَانِ الْخُودِ
I have made my purpose Egypt and its glory,
And the virtues of Al-Farouq the theme of my ode.
وَبَعَثْتُ فِيهِ تَجَارِبًا مَذْخُورَةً
هِيَ كُلُّ أَمْوَالِي وَكُلُّ رَصِيدِي
A king whose reign was illuminated by Islam
And who sheltered a pillar of its staunch defender.
وَجَعَلْتُ تَشْبِيبِي بِمِصْرَ وَمَجْدِهَا
وَشَمَائِلَ «الْفَارُوقِ» بَيْتَ قَصِيدِي
If the era of the Rightly-Guided Caliphs is gone
In the state of Al-Farouq he saw the best guide.
مَلِكٌ زَهَا الْإِسْلَامُ تَحْتَ لِوَائِهِ
وَأَوَى لِرُكْنٍ مِنْ حِمَاهُ شَدِيدِ
His achievements joined with his great efforts
And jihad in the testimony of the divine unity.
إِنْ فَاتَ عَهْدُ الرَّاشِدِينَ فَقَدْ رَأَى
فِي دَوْلَةِ «الْفَارُوقِ» خَيْرَ رَشِيدِ
His mosques listened to the repetition of his name
As if sweetened by the chanting.
قَرَنَتْ مَنَابِرُهُ جَلَائِلَ سَعْيِهِ
وَجِهَادِهِ بِشَهَادَةِ التَّوْحِيدِ
He who makes faith the rock of his kingdom
Raises the building on the firmest foundation.
وَصَغَتْ مَسَاجِدُهُ لِتَرْدِيدِ اسْمِهِ
فَكَأَنَّمَا يَحْلُو عَلَى التَّرْدِيدِ
How many heroic stands adorned
The glory of kings with awe of the Almighty!
مَنْ يَجْعَلِ الْإِيمَانَ صَخْرَةَ مُلْكِهِ
رَفَعَ الْبِنَاءَ عَلَى أَشَمَّ وَطِيدِ
The days prostrated before you when they turned
And saw you rapt between prayers and prostration.
كَمْ وَقْفَةٍ لَكَ فِي الْمَحَارِبِ جَمَّلَتْ
عِزَّ الْمُلُوكِ بِخَشْيَةِ الْمَعْبُودِ
And Islam looked from its corners
Yearning for the shade of your upheld banner.
سَجَدَتْ لَكَ الْأَيَّامُ حِينَ تَلَفَّتَتْ
فَرَأَتْكَ بَيْنَ تَشَهُّدٍ وَسُجُودِ
Fasting and its month were blessed with a warrior
Whose being diffused his praised remembrance.
وَتَطَلَّعَ الْإِسْلَامُ فِي أَمْصَارِهِ
يَهْفُو لِظِلِّ لِوَائِكَ الْمَعْقُودِ
Its days for good deeds, its nights
For the eternal, dew, and generosity.
سَعِدَ الصِّيَامُ وَشَهْرُهُ بِمُجَاهِدٍ
عَبِقَ الْوُجُودُ بِذِكْرِهِ الْمَحْمُودِ
You greeted on radio the first night of Ramadan
With words perfectly wise.
فَنَهَارُهُ لِلصَّالِحَاتِ، وَلَيْلُهُ
لِلْبَاقِيَاتِ وَلِلنَّدَى وَالْجُودِ
You summed up all politics in letters
Like a necklace stringing each unique pearl.
حَيَّيْتَ فِي الْمِذْيَاعِ أَوَّلَ لَيْلَةٍ
مِنْهُ بِقَوْلٍ مُحْكَمِ التَّسْدِيدِ
And like a drop of perfume that gathered
The light of depths and bloom of tender buds.
جَمَعَ السِّيَاسَةَ كُلَّهَا فِي أَحْرُفٍ
كَالْعِقْدِ أَلَّفَ بَيْنَ كُلِّ فَرِيدِ
Words in which the greatest wisdoms were arranged
In prose and verse of solid structure.
وَكَقَطْرَةِ الْعِطْرِ الَّتِي كَمْ جَمَّعَتْ
مِنْ نَوْرِ أَغْوَارٍ وَزَهْرِ نُجُودِ
The East listened to a sacred call
To revival and renewal.
قَوْلٌ بِهِ الْحِكَمُ الْغَوَالِي نُسِّقَتْ
مَا بَيْنَ مَنْثُورٍ وَبَيْنَ نَضِيدِ
Determinations bloomed with it after languishing
And hopes stirred after slumber.
أَصْغَى إِلَيْهِ الشَّرْقُ يَسْمَعُ دَعْوَةً
قُدْسِيَّةً لِلْبَعْثِ وَالتَّجْدِيدِ
Your voice in the air has taken
Guidance and excellence from David!
وَزَهَتْ بِهِ الْعَزَمَاتُ بَعْدَ ذُبُولِهَا
وَصَحَتْ بِهِ الْآمَالُ بَعْدَ رُقُودِ
I respond to you, O King of Hearts! Order
And we obey, for God is the best witness.
لِلهِ صَوْتُكَ فِي الْأَثِيرِ فَإِنَّهُ
أَخَذَ الْهُدَى وَالْحُسْنَ عَنْ دَاوُدِ!
Through studying religion we have seen guidance,
A light radiating from its throngs.
لَبَّيْكَ يَا مَلِكَ الْقُلُوبِ! فَمُرْ نَكُنْ
لَكَ طَاعَةً، وَاللهُ خَيْرُ شَهِيدِ
The King appeared glorifying his Lord through it
With devotion and praise to God!
إِنَّا بِدَرْسِ الدِّينِ أَبْصَرْنَا الْهُدَى
نُورًا يُشِعُّ بِجَمْعِهِ الْمَحْشُودِ
I saw him with the people around his carpet
Like birds fluttering to their beloved roses.
وَبَدَا الْمَلِيكُ بِهِ يُمَجِّدُ رَبَّهُ
لِلهِ مِنْ نُسْكٍ وَمِنْ تَمْجِيدِ!
How broad is Islam! Its expanse gathers
Black and white in God.
أَبْصَرْتُهُ وَالشَّعْبُ حَوْلَ بِسَاطِهِ
كَالطَّيْرِ رَفَّ لِوَرْدِهِ الْمَوْرُودِ
Hearts guard his throne that would ransom it
For love is the strongest weapon and ally.
مَا أَسْمَحَ الْإِسْلَامَ! يَجْمَعُ رَحْبُهُ
فِي اللهِ بَيْنَ مُسَوَّدٍ ومَسُودِ
Armies find refuge and shelter in it
Yet how many thrones find shelter in armies!
حَرَسَتْهُ أَفْئِدَةٌ تُفَدِّي عَرْشَهُ
وَالْحُبُّ أَقْوَى عُدَّةٍ وَعَدِيدِ
He listens and pays heed to the Book and its verses
In awe of abundant majesty and grace.
إِنَّ الْجُنُودَ بِهِ تَلُوذُ وَتَحْتَمِي
وَلَكَمْ عُرُوشٍ تَحْتَمِي بِجُنُودِ!
O model of the new generation and its treasure!
Live for good fortune without equal.
يُصْغِي وَيُنْصِتُ لِلْكِتَابِ وَآيِهِ
فِي سَمْتِ مَوْفُورِ الْجَلَالِ حَمِيدِ
Poetry is perplexed - how can I reach
A summit beyond the capacity of my tether and efforts?
يَا قُدْوَةَ الْجِيلِ الْجَدِيدِ وَذُخْرَهُ
عِشْ لِلْمُنَى فَرْدًا بِغَيْرِ نَدِيدِ
I prepared my colors to paint a picture -
Where is Suhayl from my exhausted arm?
حَارَ الْقَرِيضُ وَكَيْفَ أَبْلُغُ غَايَةً
هِيَ فَوْقَ طَوْقِ يَرَاعَتِي وَجُهُودِي؟
Clemency like lions suppressing ferocity with nobility,
And resolves containing the valor of lions.
أَعْدَدْتُ أَلْوَانِي لِأَرْسُمَ صُورَةً
أَيْنَ السُّهَا مِنْ سَاعِدِي الْمَكْدُودِ؟
Insight preceded events of its time
As if the unseen were visible.
حِلْمٌ كَمَا تُغْضِي الْأُسُودُ تَكَرُّمًا
وَعَزَائِمٌ فِيهَا نِجَارُ أُسُودِ
And a will that breaks obstacles - its youth
Topples the resolve of stubborn rock.
وَفِرَاسَةٌ سَبَقَتْ حَوَادِثَ دَهْرِهَا
حَتَّى كَأَنَّ الْغَيْبَ كَالْمَشْهُودِ
And the intelligence of a heart - if the gloom took aim,
It would race ahead into the darkest night.
وَإِرَادَةٌ تَفْرِي الصِّعَابَ شَبَاتُهَا
وَتَهُدُّ عَزْمَ الصَّخْرَةِ الصَّيْخُودِ
My Lord! Poetry testifies that it
Has reached the furthest extent in your extended shade.
وَذَكَاءُ قَلْبٍ لَوْ رَمَى حَلَكَ الدُّجَى
لَمَضَى يُهَرْوِلُ فِي الْمُسُوحِ السُّودِ
It has encountered in your eloquence
Masteries that returned it like the warbling of birds.
مَوْلَايَ! إِنَّ الشِّعْرَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ
بَلَغَ الْمَدَى فِي ظِلِّكَ الْمَمْدُودِ
So many lone songs I sent with the wind
Singing of the sovereign without equal.
أَلْفَى خِلَالًا لَقَّنَتْهُ بَيَانَهُ
فَأَعَادَهَا كَالصَّادِحِ الْغِرِّيدِ
Congratulations on the birth of the princess - she is
Title of elegant and lasting glory.
فَلَكَمْ بَعَثْتُ مَعَ الْأَثِيرِ وَحِيدَةً
فِي فَنِّهَا تَشْدُو بِمُلْكِ وَحِيدِ
Enjoy the Feast of Breaking the Fast and prosper
In a rising fortune, blissful Eid!
فَاهْنَأْ بِمِيلَادِ الْأَمِيرَةِ إِنَّهَا
عُنْوَانُ مَجْدٍ طَارِفٍ وَتَلِيدِ
وَانْعَمْ بِعِيدِ الْفِطْرِ وَاسْعَدْ بِالْمُنَى
فِي طَالِعٍ ضَافِي النَّعِيمِ سَعِيدِ
