ذلكَ الذي عَلِموا
دون هوله الكلِمُ
That which they knew
Without its awe, speech
دولة البيانِ هوى
من بُناتها علَمُ
The state of eloquence, passion
Of its daughters, a banner
رَوَّع البلادَ ففي
كلّ زَفرةٍ ضرَمُ
It frightened the countries, so in
Every sigh, a wound
رُبّ سامعٍ نبأ
وَدَّ لو به صَمَمُ
Many a listener of news
Wished if only he were deaf
أيها الأديبُ طوى
سِفرَ حظّه العَدَمُ
O man of letters, fate
Folded his fortune, loss
في كتابه غُرَرٌ
كلُّها له ذِمَمُ
In his book curiosities
All for him guarantees
إستهلّه أدبٌ
بالكمال متَّسِمُ
Its beginning, literature
Perfectly distinguished
وانتهى إلى خُلقٍ
ينتهي به الشمَمُ
And it ended in manners
To which the vile are guided
ألجديد سنّته
والقديمُ محترَمُ
The new its ways
And old respected
لا الأثيرُ تاه بِهِ
لُبُّه ولا الخِيمُ
Not confused by the fragrant
Nor by the stench its heart
بين ذا وذاك له
كان مذهبٌ أَمَمُ
Between this and that it has
A doctrine that unites
في أديمها ضحِكٌ
في غُضونها حِكمُ
In its plains, laughter
In its meadows, wisdom
إستقلّ مبتدعاً
آيَهُ التي علموا
Independent, an innovator
Its signs that they knew
فَهْي إن ردتَهَا ندىً
وهْي إن تُرِدْ حِمَمُ
So if you wish it dew
Or if you wish guarantees
للملوكِ ما عدِلوا
عابِثٌ إذا ظَلَموا
For kings when just
Foolish when unjust
والشبابُ لَذّتُه
بالخطوب يصطدمُ
And youth, its pleasure
Collides with misfortunes
يومَ مِصرُ مُمْرَعَةٌ
والزمانُ مبتسِمُ
A day when Egypt is fertile
And time is smiling
طائفٌ مجالِسَها
لا يملُّه السأَمُ
A neighborhood its gatherings
Boredom does not tire it
بلبلٌ يطيب له
كلَّ ساعةٍ نَغَمُ
A nightingale who enjoys
Every hour a melody
الجريءُ مندفعاً
لا تني به الهِمَمُ
The audacious rushing
Ambitions do not stop him
للبرئ منتصفٌ
لِلضعيفِ منتقِمُ
For the innocent a protector
For the weak an avenger
تستخفُّه مِقةٌ
يستثيره أَلَمُ
Underestimated by the despicable
Pain makes him angry
يا سليمُ كنتَ فتىً
في حِماه يُعتَصَمُ
O Suleiman you were a lad
In whose protection we took refuge
تَستلذُّ مكرُمَةً
في النفوس ترتَسِمُ
You enjoy an honor
Etched in souls
ليتَ لي بها مِنَناً
منطقٌ لها وفَمُ
If only through it I had
Eloquence and a mouth
حدّثَ الخُزامُ إِذَنْ
عن نداك والنًّسَمُ
Al-Khuzam spoke then
Of your softness and breeze
ما أحبها شيماُ
هكذا هي الشيَمُ
How lovely are its traits
This is how virtues are
البيانُ دولته
كلُّنا لها خدَمُ
Eloquence its state
We are all its servants
نحن عِصبةٌ غضبت
نفسها لما يَصِمُ
We are a people who raged
Whenever it is insulted
مسرفون في دَمِنا
شرُّ ما بنا الكرَمُ
Extravagant with our blood
The most evil in us, nobility
لا سعت إلا سَعةٍ
تستريبها قَدمُ
No capacity but the capacity
Suspected by feet
الثراءُ مفخرةٌ
والأديب متّهمُ
Wealth a pride
And the writer accused
مَنْ يُقيلُ عثرتَهُ
إن كَبَا بِكَ القَلمُ
Who would forgive his stumble
If the pen fell on him
ما رأيتُ حقًّ فَتىً
كالأديبِ يُهتَضَمُ
I have not seen a true lad
Like the writer who is blamed
ويلها إذا فسدت
بالمبادئ الأُمَمُ
Woe when principles are corrupted
In nations
الصّبى وما طُويتْ
في ردائه نَعَمُ
The youth and whatever is folded
In his gown, blessings
كالكرى يطوفُ به
ثم ينقضي الحُلُمُ
Like a grape vine it winds with him
Then dreams run out
شدًّ ما بُليتَ به
والكؤوس تبتسمُ
How much you have been tested
And the cups are smiling
جرعةٌ بالكأسِ ردىً
تستبيحها الظُّلمُ
A sip from the cup of purpose
Injustice makes lawful
ذقتُها محنظَلَةً
حين ماؤها شَبِمُ
I tasted it troubled
When its water was hot
يا عهودَ صبْوَتِنا
ليتَ عهدَكِ الهَرمُ
O days of our youth
If only your decay, old age
هل تراهما جَزَعَا
نِيلُ مصرَ والهرَمُ
Do you see them frightened
The Nile of Egypt and the pyramid
مِصرُ امّ كل فتىُ
للبيانِ ينفطِمُ
Egypt mother of every lad
To eloquence it suckles
قد عرفتُ فتيتها
يوم تُعرف القِيَمُ
I have known its youths
When values are known
قُلْ لهم وقد فُجِعوا
نحن في الأسى وهُمُ
Tell them when they were saddened
We in grief, and they
للبكا وما نثروا
للأسى وما نظموا
For crying and what they scattered
For grief and what they composed
