كَأَنَّ سَمْعَانَ لمْ يَلْحَقْ بِمَنْ سَلَفَا
يا سَعْدَ مَنْ فِي بَنِيهِ أُوتِيَ الخَلَفَا
As if Simeon did not follow those who passed before
O Saad, blessed is he whose sons were granted succession
مَا زَالَ فِي مَسْمَعِ الدُّنْيَا وَمَنْظَرِها
خَلْقاً وَخُلْقاً كمَا فِي عَهْدِهِ أُلِفا
He remained in the hearing and sight of the world
In manners and character as was known of old
يعِيدُهُ شَخْصُهُ الثَّانِي فَتَشْهَدُهُ
وَمَا تَكَادُ تَرَاهُ العَيْنُ مُخْتَلِفا
His second self restores him, so you witness him
And your eyes scarcely see him altered
مَنْ مِثْلُ يُوسُفَ إِكْرَاماً لِمُنجِبِهِ
وَالعَصْرُ قَدْ عَزَّ فِيهِ مَنْ رَعَى وَوَفَى
Who is like Joseph in honoring his father?
And the age has become difficult for the dutiful and loyal
شَأَى الرِّجَالَ إِلَى العَلياءِ مُسْتبِقاً
وَلَمْ يَقِفْ أَحَدٌ مِنْهَا كَمَا وَقفَا
He aspired to excellence, hastening ahead
And none stopped as he stopped
مُبادِراً صَادِراً فِي الأَمْرِ عنِ ثقةٍ
مُصَابِراً صَابِراً أَوْ يَبْلُغُ الهدَفَا
Taking initiative, issuing orders with confidence
Persevering, patient, or reaching the goal
جَمَّ المَآثِرِ خَافِيَهَا وظَاهِرِهَا
وَالفَضْلُ يَقْدُرُهُ بِالحَقِّ مَنْ عَرَفَا
He gathered obvious and hidden glories
And merit is valued by one who recognizes with justice
فَقَدْ يَكُونُ أَجَلُّ البِرِّ أَبْرَزَهُ
وَقَدْ يَكُونُ أَحَبُّ البِرِّ مَا لَطُفَا
For the greatest righteousness may be the most manifest
And the most beloved righteousness may be the most subtle
دَعِ النُّبوغَ وَحَدِّثْ عَنْ مَكَارِمِهِ
وَصِحَّة الرَّأْيِ فِي تَصْرِيفِهَا وَكَفى
Leave genius and speak of his virtues
And the soundness of opinion in its management, and enough
فهْوَ المِثَالُ لِمَنْ زَكَّى مَكَاسِبَهُ
زَكاةَ عَدْلٍ فَمَا غَالَى وَمَا جَنِفَا
He is the example for one who makes his gains good
With the alms of justice, so he exceeded not, nor leaned
أَلجُودُ خَيْرٌ وَكلُّ الخَيْرِ فِيهِ إِذَا
لَمْ يَعْدُ مَغْزَاهُ أَوْ لَمْ يَنْقَلِبْ سَرَفَا
Generosity is good, and all good is in it, if
It turns not to excess, nor turns to profligacy
وَالحِرْصُ إِنْ يَغْدُ شُحّاً بَاءَ صَاحِبُهُ
بِالعَارِ طَالَ بِهِ مُكْثٌ أَوِ انْصَرَفَا
And greed, if it becomes miserliness, its companion comes
To dishonor, though it last long or depart
مَالُ الخَسِيسِ لإبْلِيسٍ كَمَا حَكَمُوا
قِدْماً وَمَنْ قَالَ هَذَا لَمْ يَقُلْ سَخَفَا
The wealth of the miserly is for Satan, as they ruled
Of old, and whoever said this spoke not nonsense
وَما قُصُورُ الأُولَى يُثْرُونَ إِنْ بَخِلُوا
إلاَّ قُبُورٌ رَعَتْ دِيدَانُهَا الجِيَفَا
And the palaces of the former enrich them not if they hoard
Except graves whose worms have enjoyed their decay
فِي الحَرْبِ مَوْعِظَةٌ كُبْرَى أَمَا شَهِدُوا
أَيُّ الأَعَاصِيرِ بِالعُمْرَانِ قَدْ عَصَفَا
In war is a great lesson - have they not seen
Which storms with civilization were rough?
لِيَشْكُرِ اللهُ عَنَّا المُحْسِنِينَ فَهُمْ
صَلاحُ مُجْتَمَعٍ قَدْ نَاهَزَ التَّلفَا
That God thank the beneficent through us - they
Are the rectitude of a society that passed corruption
يَا أُسْرَةَ الصّيْدنَاوِيِّ الَّتِي سَلكَتْ
قصْد السَّبيلِ وَلاَ دَعْوَىَ وَلاَ صَلفَا
O family of the Sidanawis that walked
The straight path, with no pretense or conceit
اللهُ أَعْطَى فأَعْطَيْتُمْ وَزَادَكُمُ
فَضْلاً فَزِدْتُمْ وَهَذا حَسْبُكم شَرَفَا
God gave so you gave, and increased you
Virtue, so you increased, and this suffices as nobility
تُتَابِعُونَ بِلاَ مَنٍّ أَيَادِيَكُمْ
لاَ تَشْغَلونَ بِهَا الأَقْلاَمَ وَالصُّحُفَا
You follow your hands without debt
Not occupying them with pens and pages
فِي أَوْجُهِ الخَيرِ شَيَّدْتُمْ مَعَاهِدَكُمْ
بِمَا عَلَى الخَيْرِ مِنْ أَمْوَالِكُمْ وَقَفَا
In worthy causes you established your institutions
With that of your wealth which you dedicated
وَكَانَ آخِرَهَا لاَ كَانَ خَاتِمَهَا
تَشْيِيدُكُمْ لِذَوِي الأَسْقَامِ دَارَ شِفَا
And its last was not its seal
Your building for the chronically ill a house of healing
تَقومُ فِي الوَسَطِ المَأْهُولِ دَانِيَةً
مِمَّن قَضَى الرِّزْقُ أَلاَّ يَسْكُنَ الطَّرَفَا
It stands in the populated center, humbly
Of those whose sustenance has been apportioned not to gaze about
أبْنَاءُ سَمْعَانَ بِرّاً بِاسْمِ وَالِدِهِمْ
زَكُّوا تَلِيداً وَهُمْ أَهْلٌ لِمَا طَرُفَا
Simeon's children, righteous in their father's name
Were pure stock, and they are worthy of what they aspired to
نُقَدِّمُ البِكْرَ فِيهِمْ حِينَ نَذْكُرُهُمْ
كَمَا يُقَدِّمُ تَالِي الأَحْرُفِ الأَلِفَا
We present the eldest among them when we mention them
As the first letter precedes the others in the alphabet
شبَابُهُمْ لِلحِمَى ذُخْرٌ يَتِيهُ بِهِ
وَالمُحْصَنَاتُ نُجُومٌ تَقْشَعُ السَّدَفَا
Their youths are a treasure for protection, whereby
The virtuous ladies are stars unveiling the canopy
هُمْ وابْنُ عمِّ بِهِ عَزُّوا وَعَزَّ بِهِمْ
كَمُحْكمِ العِقْدِ مِنْ دُرٍّ زها وَصَفَا
They and their cousin with him were eminent, and were eminent through him
Like the fastening of a necklace of brilliant pearls
فَقَدْ رَأَوْا رَأْي عَيْنٍ كَيْفَ بُورِك فِي
جَنَى سَلِيمٍ وَسَمْعانٍ مُذِ ائْتَلَفَا
They saw with insight how blessed was
The harvest of Salim and Simeon since they collaborated
هَنَّأتُ إِليَاسَ إذْ وَافَتْهُ رُتْبَتُهُ
وَلسْتُ أَدْرِي أَقَوْلِيَ بِالمُرادِ وَفَى
I congratulate Eliyas as his rank came to him
And I know not if my words suffice for the purpose
وَجُورجُ هَنَّأتُهُ قَبْلاً فَصُغْتُ لَهُ
وَصْفاً عَلَى قَدْرِ مَا أُوتِيتُ أَنْ أَصِفَا
And George I congratulated him before, so I listened to him
Describing to the extent of what I was given to describe
فارُوقُ يَقْدُرُ أَخْطارَ الرِّجَالِ بِمَا
تَسْوَى وَيَعْدِلُ دُنْياهُمْ إِذَا عَطَفَا
Farouk assesses the dangers of men with what
Equals and makes equitable their world if he is gentle
نعْماهُ فِي أَهْلِ هَذا البَيْتِ كَمْ شَمَلَتْ
فِي الشَّرْقِ بَيْتاً عَلَيْهِ ظِلُّهُ وَرَفَا
His blessings in the people of this house - how comprehensive
Were in the East over a house whose shade covered them
مَا أَحْسَنَ الشِّعرَ وَالوِجْدانُ مَصْدَرُهُ
كَأَنَّ هَاتِفَهُ مِنْ نَفْسِهِ هَتفَا
How excellent is poetry whose source is passion
As if its inspirer from his soul cried out
إِذَا دَعَا الصِّدْقُ لَبَّى طَيِّعاً وَإِذَا
دَعَتُ مُصَانعَةٌ يوْماً عتَى وجفَا
If sincerity calls he answers obedient, and if
Hypocrisy calls one day, he rebels and turns away
أَخُصُّ بِالشِّعرِ أَحْبَابِي وَأُكْرِمُهُ
عَنْ أَنْ يَكُونَ مُدَاجَاةً وَمُزْدَلَفَا
I distinguish my friends with poetry and honor it
Lest it be flattery and fawning
أُثْنِي عَلَيْهِمْ بِمَا فِيهِمْ وَلسْتُ أَرَى
فِيما أُخلِّدَ مِنْ آثارِهِمْ كُلَفَا
I praise them for what is in them, and I do not see
Affectation in what I immortalize of their deeds
يِا يُوسُفَ الحُسْنِ وَالإِحْسَانِ دُمْ مَثلاً
بِالاسْتِقَامَةِ لِلجِيلِ الَّذِي انْحَرَفَا
O Joseph of beauty and benevolence, remain an example
Of rectitude for the generation that was corrupt
وَبِالخِصَالِ الَّلَواتِي لاَ يُعَانُ عَلَى
مَطَالِبِ المَجْدِ إِلاَّ مَنْ بِهَا اتَّصَفَا
And with traits which one cannot attain
The aspirations of glory except he who had them
وَبِالمُضِيِّ مَعَ الفِكْرِ الطَّلِيقِ إِذَا
مَا عَاقَتِ الفِكْرَ أَصْفَادٌ بِهَا رَسفَا
And going forth with free thought when
Thought is bound by shackles it smashed
أَبى بَنُونَا الكِفَاحَ الحُرَّ وَالتَمَسُوا
رِقَّ الوَظَائِفِ رَقَّ العَيْشُ أَوْ شَظَفَا
Our youth refused the struggle for freedom and sought
The ease of positions - ease of life or miserable livelihood
وَفِي الزِّرَاعَةِ لَوْ جَدُّوا وَلَوْ صَبَرُوا
سَهْدٌ لِمَنْ شارَ أَوْ وَرْدٌ لِمَنْ قطفَا
And in farming, had they but tilled and had patience
There would be fruits for whoever labored, or roses for whoever plucked
هِيَ المَعَاشُ بِمَعْنَاهُ الصَّحِيحِ لِمَنْ
لَمْ يُفْسِدِ الطَّبعَ فِيهِ حُبُّهُ التَّرَفَا
It is livelihood in its sound meaning for whom
His nature did not corrupt with love of luxury
وَفِي الصِّناعَةِ أَسْبَابٌ مُهَيَّأةٌ
لِمَنْ عَلَيْهَا بِعَزْمٍ صَادِقٍ عكَفَا
And in industry are causes facilitated
For whoever applies himself to it with true determination
أَبُو المَسِيحِ أَأَدْنَى مِنْ مَكَانتِهِ
فِي المَجْدِ إِنْ كَانَ نَجَّاراً وَمُحْتَرِفَا
Was the father of the Messiah lowered in
His glory if he was a carpenter and artisan?
وَفِي التِّجارَةِ آرَابٌ يُحَقِّقهَا
مَنْ كَانَ فِيمَا تَوَلَّى حَازِماً حَصِفَا
And in commerce are profits realized
By one who is resolute in what he takes on
هِيَ التِّجارَةُ لاَ يُعْنَى بِهَا بَلَدٌ
حَتَّى يُرَى وَهُوَ قَحْلٌ جَنَّة أُنُفَا
It is commerce - no country cares for it
Until it sees itself, though barren, bearing fruit
سَادَاتُ عَدْنَانَ لَمْ يَأْبَوْا تَعَاطِيَهَا
فَأَيُّ عُذْرٍ لِمَنْ عَنْ نَهْجِهِمْ صَدَفَا
The lords of Adnan disdained not engaging in it
So what excuse for one who turned from their path?
وَالشَّرْقُ أَثْرَى بِهَا دَهْراً فَحِينَ جَرَى
بِهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَجْرَاهُ جنَى أَسَفَا
And the East grew rich through it for an age, but when
It flowed in other than its course, it reaped regrets
مَارَستَهَا لاَ تُبَالِي مَا تُجَشَّمهُ
مِنَ المَتَاعِبِ مُعْتَزّاً بِهَا كَلِفَا
You practiced it recking not what hardship you took on
Proudly persevering though it burdened you
وَرُحْتَ بِالمَثَلِ الأَعْلَى تُجَنِّبنَا
أَنْ بَنْخَسَ الدُرَّ أَوْ أَنْ نُغْلِيَ الصَّدَفَا
And you went with the highest example, sparing us
From contaminating the pearl, or overpricing the oyster
أَبُوكَ وَالنَّابِهُونَ المُقْتَدُونَ بِهِ
رَدُّوا إِلَى مِصْرَ ذَاكَ الفَتْحَ مُؤتَنَفَا
Your father and the enlightened ones emulating him
Returned that conquest to Egypt, initiating again
طَلِيعَةٌ بِمَسَاعِيهَا أَتَتْ عَجَباً
فَأَرْضَتِ اللهَ وَالأَعْقَابَ وَالسَّلفَا
A vanguard with its efforts that came wondrously
Pleasing God and offspring and ancestors
يَا مَنْ بِرُتْبَتِهِ العُلْيَا نُهَنِّئهُ
فِي الحَقِّ تَشْرِيفُ مَنْ نَفْسِهِ شَرُفَا
O you whose lofty rank we congratulate
The ennoblement of one whose self was noble
فَارُوقُ أَوْلاَكَ إِنْعَاماً جَدُرْتَ بِهِ
فَكُنْتَ أَوْفَى وَأَكْفَى مَنْ بِهِ اعْتَرَفَا
Farouk, that appointment was your due, you deserved it
So you were most faithful and sufficient, recognized by it
دَامَ المَلِيكُ بِعَوْنِ اللهِ مُعْتَضِداً
وَعَرْشُهُ بِوَلاَء الشَّعبِ مُكْتَنَفَا
May the King live, God helping, supported
And his throne wrapped in the loyalty of the people
