أَليَوْمَ تَمَّ الفرَحُ الأَكْبَرُ
وَانْجَابَ ذَاك العَارِضُ الأَكْدَرُ
Today the greatest joy is complete
And the gloomy cloud has given birth
قَدْ رَأَبَ الصُّلحُ صُدُوعاً جَرَتْ
بِالدَّمِ مِنْ جَرَّائِهَا أَنْهُرُ
Peace has healed wounds that bled
With blood from their gashes, rivers
وَأَقْبلَ الأَمْنُ بِآلاَئِهِ
فَكُلَّ نَفْسٍ بِالرِّضا تَشْعُرُ
And security came with its gifts
So every soul feels satisfied
كَأَنَّما الأَمْنُ رَبِيعٌ لَهُ
فِي كُلِّ مَا مَدَّ بِهِ مَظْهَرُ
It's as if security were a spring
In everything it reveals its splendor
فَحَيْثُ يَخْفَى عَبَقٌ فَائِحٌ
وَحْيُثُ يَبْدُو غُصُنٌ مُزْهِرُ
Where a diffusing fragrance is hidden
And where a blooming branch appears
وَالدَّهْرُ فِي أَثْنَائِهِ بَاسِمٌ
وَالعَيْشُ فِي أَفْيَائِهِ أَخْضَرُ
And time in its course is cheerful
And life in its prime is verdant
وَلِلْمُنى مِنْ رَاحِهِ مَوْرِدٌ
وَلِلْغِنَى عنْ سَاحِهِ مَصْدَرُ
For wishes there is a spring to drink from
And for the wealthy a source to draw from
مَا أَبْهَجَ السَّلمَ وَتَبْشِيرَهُ
وَغِبْطَةَ الْخَلْقِ بِمَا بُشِّرُوا
How delightful peace is and its tidings
And people's joy at what they've been told
قَدْ نَافَسَ الأَيامَ لَكِنَّهُ
نَافسَهُ اليَوْمُ الَّذِي نَحْضَرُ
The days used to compete but today
Competed with it, the day we attend
فَكَادَ لاَ يَدْرِي مُحِبُّوكُم
أَيُّ السُّرُورَيْنِ هُوَ الأَوْفَرُ
Those who love you almost don't know
Which of the two joys is greater
سَلُوا الأُولَى تَفْتِنُ أَنْوِارُكمْ
أَمَا نَسُوا أَنَّ الدُّجَى مُقْمِرُ
Ask the first, your lights enchant
Have they forgotten that gloom is dispelled?
سَلُوا الأُولَى تُعْجِبُ أَزْهَارُكُمْ
وَرْدُ الرُّبَى أَمْ وَرْدكُمْ أَفْخَرُ
Ask the first, your flowers please
Is the garden's rose or yours more splendid?
أَوْفَى السعَادَاتِ لِمَنْ بَاتَ فِي
أَمْنٍ وَقَدْ أَدْرَكَ مَا يؤْثِرُ
It fulfills happiness for one who spends the night
In safety having attained what he prefers
وأَشْمَلُ النُّعمَى بِأَفْرَاحِهَا
هِيَ الَّتِي يَحْظَى بِهَا الأَجْدَرُ
And the most perfect bliss with its joys
Is what the most deserving attains
أَلْحَمْد لِلّهِ عَلَى أَنْ خَلَتْ
حَرْبٌ بِهَا قُصِّمتِ الأَظْهُرُ
Praise be to God that a war has passed
In which the backs were broken
كادَتْ تَرِيبُ الخَلْقَ لوْ لمْ يَرَوْا
فِي الغِبِّ أَن الْحَقَّ مُسْتظْهَرُ
It almost deceived people had they not seen
In the unseen that truth is victorious
كارِثةٌ أَعْظَمَهَا دهْرُهَا
وَمِثْلُهَا تُعْظِمَهُ الأَدْهُرُ
A disaster - its era made it great
And the ages make its like tremendous
مَا أَكْرَبَتْ تَبدو بِآفَاقِهَا
نجُومُ نَحْسٍ شَرُّهَا مُسْعَرُ
How enormous the stars of ill omens appeared in its horizons
The evilest of which are flaming
حَتَّى أَتَاحَ اللّهُ تِلْقَاءَهَا
نُجُومَ سَعْدٍ نَوْءُهَا خَيِّرُ
Until God made facing it
Stars of good fortune whose signals are benevolent
فِي مِصْرَ مِنْهَا كَوْكَبٌ نيِّرٌ
يَا حَبَّذَا كَوْكَبُهَا النَّيرَ
Among them a shining planet in Egypt
How excellent is its shining planet!
كَأَنَّما الأُعُيُنُ كَاساتُهُ
كَأَنَّما لأْلاَؤُهُ كَوْثَرُ
It's as if its eyes were cups
As if its pearls were Kawthar
أَوْفَى فَلَمْ يُحْجَبْ هُدَى نوِرهِ
إِلاَّ وَإِصْبَاحُ الْهُدَى مُسْفِرُ
It fulfilled so the guidance of its light was not veiled
Except the dawn of guidance appeared
بِنْت الثُّرَيَّا أَنَا مُسْتَخْبِرٌ
لَعَلَّ ذَا مَعْرِفَةٍ يُخْبِرُ
Daughter of Pleiades, I am inquiring
Perhaps one with knowledge can inform
إِذَا بَدَا الفَجْرُ وَآيَاتُهُ
كَأَنَّها رَايَاتُهُ تُنْشَرُ
When dawn appears and its signs
It's as if they are its standards raised
وَلَبِثَتْ كُلُّ نَؤْومِ الضُّحى
فِي لُجَجِ الأَحْلاَمِ تَسْتَبْحِرُ
And all the sleepy remain for a while
In the depths of dreams, confused
سَاهِرَةَ اللَّيْلِ عَلَى أَنَّها
لِمَرْقَصٍ أَوْ مَقْمَرٍ تَسْهَرُ
Staying up at night as if for a dance
Or party she stays awake
تَذْهَلُ أُمُّ الْوُلْدِ عَنْ وُلْدِهَا
وَتَسْتَخِفُّ الرِّيْبَةَ المُعْصِرُ
The mother is heedless of her child
And the wet nurse takes lightly her duty
مَنِ الَّتِي تَنْهَضُ مِنْ بُكْرَةٍ
وَحُرَّةُ القوْمِ الَّتِي تُبْكِرُ
Who is she that rises early
And the lady of the house who rises early
فَتَهْجُرُ التَّرْفِيهَ فِي بَيْتِهَا
وَهْوَ الَّذِي مَا اسْطِيعَ لاَ يُهْجَرُ
She abandons amusement in her home
That cannot be abandoned if one is able
وَتَغْتَدِي يُوِفضُ سَيْراً بِهَا
مُنْخَطِفٌ كَالبَرْقِ أَوْ أَسْيَرُ
She goes out briskly, a hidden observer races with her
Like lightning or a captive
فِي مَلْبَسٍ شَفَّ بِظَلْمَائِا
عَنْ غُرَرٍ مِنْ شِيَمٍ تَزْهُرُ
In clothes that reveal charms
Of manners that blossom
تَبْدُرُ مَرْضَاهَا بِإِلْمَامِهَا
وَالعَهْدُ أَنَّ الأَحْوَجَ الأَبْدَرُ
She appears happy with her knowledge
And it's known the poorest are happiest
تَأْلَفُ لاَ تَأْنَفُ مُسْتَوْصَفاً
لِلْبُؤْسِ فِي أَكْنَافِهِ مَحْشَرُ
She frequents a clinic, not too proud
Though the destitute crowd its corners
يُمَضُّ مَنْ مَرَّ بِهِ نَاظِراً
لِفَرْطِ مَا يُؤْلِمُهُ المَنظرُ
Whoever passes by is driven away
By the pain of the scene he witnesses
مَا حَالُ مَنْ تَدْأَبُ تَنْتَابُهُ
تخْبُرُ مِنْ بَلْوَاهُ مَا تَخْبُرُ
What is the state of one whose tribulations
Inform, from his afflictions, what they inform
مَعْشَرُهَا مِنْ أُنْسِهَا مُوحِشٌ
وَأَتْعَسُ الخَلْقِ لَهَا مَعْشَرُ
Their company is lonely for them
And the most wretched are their company
مِنْ صِبْيَةٍ فِيهِمْ سَدِيدُ الْخُطَى
وَفِيهُمُ الأَصْغَرُ فَالأَصْغَرُ
A child among them walking steadily
And among them the smallest, and smaller
أَجَدُّهُمْ بَثّاً وَتَلْعَابُهُمْ
يُبْكِيك إِذْ يَهْذِي وَإِذْ يَهْذرُ
Their liveliest in play and chatter
Makes you cry whether he babbles or prattles
وَفِتْيَةٍ يُودِي بِهِمْ جَهْلُهُمْ
فَهَالِكٌ فِي إِثْرِهِ مُنْذَرُ
And youths whom ignorance will ruin
With ruin in its wake, a warner
وَمُرْضِعٍ مِنْ نَضْبِهَا تَشْتكِي
وَهَرِمٍ مِنْ ضَعْفِهِ يُهْتِرُ
And a nursing mother complaining of dryness
And an old man moaning from frailty
وَطِفْلَةٍ مَا عَربَدَتْ عَيْنُهَا
لَكِنَّ سُقْماً لَوْنُهَا الأَحْمَرُ
And a little girl whose eye has not yet sparkled
Though illness has made her cheek red
وَذَاتِ حُسْنٍ أَحْصَنَتْ عِرْضَهَا
وَإِنْ تَوَلَّى هَتْكَهَا المِئْزَرُ
And a beauty who guards her honor
Though poverty tears away her veil
إِن خَفِرَ الْقَلْبُ فَذَاكَ التُّقى
مَا الثَّوْبُ إِلاَّ ذِمَّة تُخْفَرُ
If the heart is guarded that is piety
The garment is just a responsibility to be guarded
لَهْفِي عَلَى تِلْكَ النُّفُوسِ الَّتِي
هِيضَتْ وَوَدَّ الْبِرُّ لَو تُجْبَرُ
My worry for those souls that settled
And tenderness would be restored if mended
هِيَ الشَّقاوَاتُ لَقَدْ صُوِّرَتْ
فِي صُوَرٍ تُوحِشُ أَوْ تُذْعِرُ
Those are the wretched ones, they are portrayed
In pictures that appall or make afraid
لهَا وَجَوهٌ بَادِيَاتُ القَذَى
مُبْصِرُهَا يُؤْذِي بِمَا يُبْصِرُ
They have faces on which specks appear
Whoever sees them, it hurts what he sees
تَعْبَسُ حَتَّى حِينَمَا تجْتَلِي
ذَاكَ المُحَيَّا طَالِعاً تَبْشرُ
They frown even when flashing
That smile which gives good tidings
يَا حُْن تِلْكَ المُفَتَدَاةِ الَّتِي
آيَاتُهَا فِي البِرِّ لاَ تُحُصَرُ
O pity for that emancipated one
Whose virtues in kindness are beyond measure
لاَحَتْ فَلاَحَ النُّورُ بَعْد الدُّجَى
جَاءَتْ فجَاءَ الدَّهْرُ يستَغْفِرُ
She appeared and the light appeared after the gloom
She came and time seeks forgiveness
تأْسُو بِرِفْقٍ أَوْ تُوَاسِي بِهِ
قدْ يَضجَرُ الرِّفْقُ وَلاَ تَضْجَرُ
She comforts gently or consoles
Sometimes gentle comforts weary and consoles not
تسَامُ أَقْصى أَلَمِ المُشْتَكِي
وَفوقَ صَبرِ المُشْتَكِي تَصْبرُ
She is supremely patient beyond the pain of the complainant
And beyond the complainant's patience she is more patient
تُطَارِدُ الفَقْرَ بِمَعْرُوفِهَا
وَإِنَّه لَلخاتِل الأَنْكَرُ
She chases away poverty with her charity
And it is the most cunning of villains
تُحَارِبُ الْجُوعَ بِإِيمَانِهَا
وَالْجُوْعُ عَيْنُ الكُفْرِ أَوْ أَكْفَرُ
She battles hunger with her faith
And hunger is the eye of disbelief or worse than disbelief
تَظَلُّ بِالْجُودِ تُعَفِّي عَلَى
مَا يُتْلِفُ التَّسهِيدُ وَالمَيْسِرُ
She stays in generosity, pardoning
What refinement and affluence would bring about
وَبِالْيَدِ البَيْضَاءِ تَبْنِي الَّذِي
يَهْدِمُهُ الإِدْمَانُ وَالمسْكِرُ
And with the white hand she builds
What addiction and drunkenness destroy
يَلُومُ قَوْمٌ طَوْلَهَا بِالنَّدَى
وَلاَ تَلُومُ الْقَوْمَ إِنْ قَصَّرُوا
Some blame her slowness to reproach
Yet she does not blame them if they fall short
وَمَا تُبَالِي كيْفَ كَانتْ سِوَى
مَا طاهِرُ الْوَحْيِ بِهِ يَأْمرُ
She does not care how she is
Except as the pure revelation commands
عَاذِرَةٌ لِلنَّاسُ وَالنَّاسُ قدْ
تَتَّهمُ الْحُسْنَى وَلاَ تَعْذِرُ
Pardoning people though they
Suspect goodness and do not pardon
وَبَعْدَ هَذَا كمْ لهَا جَيْئةٍ
فِي يَوْمِهَا أَوْ رَوْحَةٍ تشكرُ
And after this, how often she comes
In her day or makes a welcomed visit
كمْ خِدْمَةٍ فِي كُلِّ جَمْعِيَّةٍ
لِلْخَيْرِ لاَ تَأْلُو وَلاَ تَفْتُرُ
How much service in every society
For charity, never flagging or bored
كَمْ دَارِ تَنْكِيدٍ إِذَا أَقْبَلَتْ
عَادَ إِلَيْهَا صَفْوُهَا المُدْبِرُ
How many houses of gloom, when she enters
Their best side returns to them
كَمْ هَالِكٍ تُنْقِذُهُ مِنْ شَفاً
وَكَادَتِ الدُّنْيَا بِهِ تَعْثُرُ
How many lost souls she saves from perdition
Though the world had almost tripped them up
كَمْ دُونَ عِرْضٍ تَبْتَغِي صَوْنَهُ
تَمْهُرُ وَالأَقْرَبُ لاَ يَمْهُرُ
How many whose honor she seeks to protect
She is cautious though the closest is not cautious
كَمْ تَتَصَدَّى لِعَلِيلٍ وَمَا
مِنْ خَطَرٍ فِي بَالِهَا يَخْطُرُ
How often she cares for a patient without
A thought of danger occurring to her
لاَ تكْتَفِي بِالمَالِ لكِنَّها
تُعْطِي مِن الصِّحةِ مَا يُذْخَرُ
She is not content with money but gives
Of health what can be stored
كَبِيرَةُ الْقَدْرِ وَلَكِنْ لَدَى
كُلِّ صِغيرِ القَدْرِ تَسْتَصْغِرُ
Great in worth but to
All the insignificant she belittles herself
تَاحَتْ لِمِصْرٍ أُخْتُهَا قَبْلَهَا
بِأَيِّ أُخْتٍ بَعْدَهَا تَظْفَرُ
She was granted to Egypt a sister before her
With what other sister after her will she be rewarded?
يتِيمَتَا العَصْرِ هُمَا هَلْ تُرَى
ثَالِثَةٌ تَأْتِي بِهَا الأَعْصُرُ
Orphans of the age, are they perchance,
A third the ages will bring?
سِسِيلُ هَلْ تَدْرِينَ تِلْكَ الَّتِي
أَذْكُرُهَا أَنْتِ الَّتِي أَذْكُرُ
Cecile, do you know her I mention?
It is you I mention, do not be angry
لاَ تغْضَبِي مِنْ مِدْحَتِي إِنَّهَا
قَدْ وَجَبَتْ وَالفَضْلُ قَدْ يُشْكَرُ
Do not be angry at my praise, it
Is deserved and should be thanked
مَا تُجْزِيءُ الأَقْوَالُ مِنْ هِمَّةٍ
فِيهَا تَقَضَّى عُمْرُكِ الأَنْضَرُ
Words do not suffice for the resolve
In which your freshest life force was spent
حَيِّي الصِّبا حَسْنَاءَ أَمْثَالُهَا
بِسِنِّها فِي عَقْلِهَا تَنْدُرُ
Greet on my behalf the fair youth
Whose reason at her age is rare
فَرْعُ أَبٍ ذِكْرَاهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ
أَخْلَدُ ذِكْرى وَاسْمُهُ الأَشْهَرُ
Branch of a father whose mention among his people
Is the most enduring mention
صُورَةُ أُمٍ ذَاتِ خُلْقٍ سَمَا
يُظْهِرهُ الفَضْلُ وَمَا تُظْهِرُ
Image of a mother of excellent manners
Revealed by merit, not her display
سَلِيلَةُ اْلآلِ الْكِرَامِ الأُولَى
فِي كُلِّ نَادٍ صِيتُهُمْ يَعْطَرُ
Descendant of the generous family, the first
Whose reputation in every club is fragrant
بِرِقَّة الْجُودِ اسْتَرَقُّوا النُّهَى
وَالْجُودُ مَنْ يُعْطِي وَمَنْ يَسْتُرُ
With subtle generosity they surpassed virtues
And generosity is giving and veiling
بَيْتٌ عَتِيقٌ لَمْ تَزَلْ فِي النَّدَى
وَفِي الْهُدَى آثَارُهُ تُؤْثَرُ
An ancient house whose traces
In bounty and guidance still impact
إِلَى ابْنِ عِيدٍ زَفَّها قَلْبُهَا
وَالنَّاسُ بِالأَعْيَادِ تَسْتَبْشِرُ
To the son of Eid her heart inclines
And people at feasts are delighted
مُورِيسُ مِنْ بَيْتٍ رَفِيعِ الذُّرَى
مَوْضِعُهُ فِي الْجَاهِ لاَ يُنْكَرُ
Maurice from a household of high lineage
His status in glory cannot be denied
أَبُوهُ عَالِي الْجَدِّ سَامِي الْحِجَا
وَأُمُّه الْجَوْزَاءُ أَوْ أَزْهَرُ
His father is of high ancestry and prestigious pilgrimage
And his fair mother is the most blossoming
قَدْ صَدَقَتْ فِيهِ الصِّفاتُ الَّتِي
بِبَعْضِهَا يَفْخَرُ مَنْ يَفخرُ
The attributes befitting him were truthful
Some would boast if having only one
فَاهْنَأْ بِمَنْ أُوتِيْتَ زَوْجاً فَمَا
زَوْجُكَ إِلاَّ المَلك الأَطْهَرُ
So congratulate yourself on the husband you've been given
Your husband is none but the most pure King
عِيشا بِسَعد وَانْمُوا وَاكْثُرَا
فالنَّسلُ خَيْرٌ مَا زكَا الْعُنْصُر
Live in bliss and grow and multiply
For progeny is best when the lineage is pure
