سَكَتُّ فَأَصغَروا أَدَبي

وَقُلتُ فَأَكبَروا أَرَبي

I was silent, so they lessened my respect,

And I spoke, so they increased their folly,

وَما أَرجوهُ مِن بَلَدٍ

بِهِ ضاقَ الرَجاءُ وَبي

And I have no hope in a country,

Where aspirations are frustrated, and vile.

وَهَل في مِصرَ مَفخَرَةٌ

سِوى الأَلقابِ وَالرُتَبِ

Is there anything in Egypt to be proud of,

Other than titles and ranks?

وَذي إِرثٍ يُكاثِرُنا

بِمالٍ غَيرِ مُكتَسَبِ

And one who boasts of inherited wealth,

Not earned by his own efforts?

وَفي الرومِيِّ مَوعِظَةٌ

لِشَعبٍ جَدَّ في اللَعِبِ

And in the Roman, there is an admonition,

For a people immersed in frivolity,

يُقَتِّلُنا بِلا قَوَدٍ

وَلا دِيَةٍ وَلا رَهَبِ

They kill us without reason,

No wergild or refuge for us.

وَيَمشي نَحوَ رايَتِهِ

فَتَحميهِ مِنَ العَطَبِ

And he walks towards his banner,

Which shields him from affliction.

فَقُل لِلفاخِرينَ أَما

لِهَذا الفَخرِ مِن سَبَبِ

So say to the boasters - what is the cause,

Of this empty boasting?

أَروني بَينَكُم رَجُلاً

رَكيناً واضِحَ الحَسَبِ

Show me among you an upstanding man,

Of clear and noble lineage.

أَروني نِصفَ مُختَرِعٍ

أَروني رُبعَ مُحتَسِبِ

Show me half an inventor,

Show me a quarter of a guardian of morals.

أَروني نادِياً حَفلاً

بِأَهلِ الفَضلِ وَالأَدَبِ

Show me one who hosts gatherings,

Of people of merit and literature.

وَماذا في مَدارِسِكُم

مِنَ التَعليمِ وَالكُتُبِ

And what is in your schools,

Of education and books?

وَماذا في مَساجِدِكُم

مِنَ التِبيانِ وَالخُطَبِ

And what is in your mosques,

Of elucidation and sermons?

وَماذا في صَحائِفِكُم

سِوى التَمويهِ وَالكَذِبِ

And what is in your newspapers,

Other than deception and lies?

حَصائِدُ أَلسُنٍ جَرَّت

إِلى الوَيلاتِ وَالحَرَبِ

The harvest of tongues that have led,

To misery and war.

فَهُبّوا مِن مَراقِدِكُم

فَإِنَّ الوَقتَ مِن ذَهَبِ

So rise from your slumber,

For time is made of gold.

فَهَذي أُمَّةُ اليابا

نِ جازَت دارَةَ الشُهُبِ

This is a nation that has passed,

The prime of its youth.

فَهامَت بِالعُلا شَغَفاً

وَهِمنا بِاِبنَةِ العِنَبِ

It was passionate for the heights,

And dreamed of a daughter of grapes.