بَاعُوا المخلد بِالحُطَامِ الْفَانِي

وَشَرَيْتَ بِالأَغْلَى مِنَ الأَثْمَانِ

They sold eternity for fleeting dust

And you paid a price beyond all worth

تِلْكَ الْحَيَاةُ أَمَانَةٌ أَدَّيْتَهَا

بِتَمَامِهَا للهِ وَالأَوْطَانِ

That life you had was but a trust fulfilled

With utmost faith for country and for God

بِالصَّبْرِ وَالأِيمَنِ أُخْلِصَ بَدْوُّهَا

وَخِتَامُهَا بِالصَّبْرِ والإيمانِ

Begin it with patience and faith sincere

End it with patience and with faith sedate

أَعْرَضْتَ عَنْ لَذَّاتِها مُنْذُ الصِبا

وَالرَّوْضُ تُفْري والقُطُوفُ دَوَانِي

You spurned the joys of youth since childhood days

Though the meadow bloomed and fruits hung ready

مُتَوَخِّيَاً منْ دُونِها أُمْنِيَّةٌ

لَمْ يُوهِ وَحْدَتَهَا شَتِيتُ أَمَانِي

Seeking beyond them dreams none but you knew

Scattered fancies no single one came true

تَهْوَى الْبِلاَدَ وَلاَ هَوى لَكَ غَيْرُهَا

أَوْ تُفْتَدَى مِنْ ذِلَّةٍ وَهَوَانِ

You loved your country, caring for none else

Or sought to be redeemed from baseness and disgrace

ظَلِّتْ تُنَازِعُكَ الصُّرُوفُ بِمَا بِهَا

مِنْ مُنَّةٍ وَظَلِلْتَ ثَبْتَ جَنَانِ

Vicissitudes with you contended still

With their shifts, yet you stood firm serene

مُسْتَنْزِفاً دَمَكَ الزَّكِيَّ وَلَمْ يُرَقْ

بِشَبَاةِ قِرْضَابٍ وَلاَ بِسِنَانِ

Shedding blood pure till no more remained

By neither sword nor fang was it profaned

فِي صَوْلَةٍ لِلدَّهْرِ تَعْقُبُ صَوْلَةً

مُنْتَابَةً فِي الآنِ بعْدَ الآنِ

In destiny's caprice one moment ends

Another follows in time without end

حَتَّى قَضَيْتَ شَهِيدَ رَأيِكَ وَانْقَضَى

مَاكُنْتَ تَلْقَى دُونَهُ وَتُعَانِي

Till sacrificing for your views you died

And passed from all that once you lived and bore

وَيحَ الأَبِيِّ تَسُوءهُ أَيَّامُهُ

وَتَسُرُّ كُلَّ مُمَاذِقٍ مِذْعَانِ

Woe to the noble when his days go ill

And every sycophant exults, head bowed

مِمَّنْ يُقَدَّمُ فِي الرِّجَالِ وَمَا بِهِ

إِلاَّ الطِّلاَءُ بِكَاذِبِ الأَلوَانِ

Though first among men, what's that in truth?

Naught but veneer of lies in garish hues

مَاذَا دَهَى الْقفسْطَاطَ حينَ تَجَاوَبَتْ

أصْدَاؤُهَا لِنَوَاكَ بِالإرْنَانِ

What availed Constantia when echoed round

Its colonnade your chant in solemn tone?

وَجَلاَ عَنِ الْقَدَرِ المُخَبَّأِ لَيْلَهَا

وَبَدَا الصَّبَاحُ مُقَرَّحَ الأَجْفَانِ

And from the hidden writ dawn stripped night's veil

As morning peered with heavy-laden lids

خَطْبٌ أَرَانَا فِي مَجَالاَتِ الفِدَى

وَالصِّدْقِ كَيْفَ مَصَارِعُ الشُّجْعَانِ

A speech that showed in sacrifice and truth

How heroes fight their battles to the death

غَشِيَتْ ثَبِيراً مِنْ أَسَاهُ غَمَامَةٌ

جَرَّتْ كَلاَكِلَهَا عَلَى لُبْنَانِ

A cloud, thick-piled, darkened your noble form

And streaked like tatters down the Lebanon

فَالشَّرْقُ في شَرَقٍ مِنَ الدَّمْعِ الذَِّي

أجْرَى الْعُيُونَ وَفَاضَ بِالْغُدْرَانِ

So Eastward tears in streams of blood still pour

That eyes shed copiously in anguish flow

أيْ مُصطَفَى يَبْكِيكَ قَوْمُكَ كُلَّمَا

عَادَتْهُمُو ذِكْرَى فَتَى الفِتْيَانِ

What Moustafa, your folk still weep for you

Whenever the memory comes, O flower of men

يوْمَ الْوَفَاءُ دَعَا فَكُنْتَ لِوَاءَهُ

وَطَلِعَةِ لطليعة الفُرْسَانِ

The day you summoned, you became its banner

And van of cavalry none could comprehend

هَذَا شَهِيدٌ مِنْ وُلاَتِكَ خَامِسٌ

يَهْوِي بِحَيْثُ هَوَيْتَ فِي المَيْدَانِ

Another martyr now, the fifth of your domain

Plunging to where you plunged amid the fray

لَكَأَنَّهُمْ وَالمَوْتُ أَسْوَأُ مَغْنَمٍ

يَتَراكَضُونَ إلَيْهِ خَيْلَ رِهَانِ

As if, than death, they coveted no greater prize

Charging their steeds recklessly ahead

بَذَلُوا النُّفُوسَ كَمَا بَذَلْتَ وَأَرْخَصُوا

مَا عَزَّ مِنْ جَاهٍ وَمِنْ قُنْيَانِ

Lives and riches they relinquished and held cheap

However high in status, treasure piled

فَإذَا ذُكِرْتَ وَأَنْتَ عُنْوَانُ الْفِدَى

فَاسْمُ الرِّفَاقِ تَتِمَّةُ الْعُنْوَانِ

When you are named, redeeming sacrifice itself

Your comrades' names complete that title's writ

رُزِئْتَ أَمِيناً أُمَّةٌ مَفْؤُودَةٌ

لِفِرِاقِهِ سَكْرَى مِنَ الأَحْزَانِ

You passed, trusted by an orphaned nation

Intoxicated with the wine of grief

خَرَجَتْ تُشَيِّعُهُ وَسَارَ بِرَمْزِهِ

مَنْ فَاتَهُ التَّشْيِيعُ لِلْجُثْمَانِ

They bore you forth, while many joined the march

Who the procession itself could not attend

تُزْجِي الصِّحَافِيَّ الأمِينَ المُجْتَبَى

عَفَّ الْجُيُوبِ مُطَهَّرَ الأَرْدانِ

You speed the virtuous, chosen, parted soul

Of purity, from blemish purified

طَلْقَ المُحَيَّا فِي الْحِجَابِ كَأَنَّمَا

نَسَجَ الأَشِعَّةَ نَاسِجُ الأَكْفَانِ

And in your shroud's perfume, like roses bloomed

In springtide's midst, your progeny has thrived

يَسْتَقْبِلُ اللهَ الْكَرِيمَ بِجَبْهَةٍ

بَيْضَاءَ خَالِيَةٍ مِنَ الأَدْرَانِ

The press in you has found its comforter

What matters it the loss of one who strove?

أَعْزِزْ عَلَى الإخْوَانِ أنَّ مَكَانَهُ

مُتَفَقَّدٌ فِي مُلْتَقَى الإخْوَانِ

In the astute fulfilling of its charge

And the pioneering, foremost of its kind

مَا كَانَ أسْمَحَهُ وَأَصْرَحَ طَبْعَهُ

وَأَرَفَّهُ لِلْمُسْتَضَامِ الْعَانِي

A gift is he time rarely will replace

Harsh though the years, their burden he'll withstand

حَسُنَتْ شَمَائِلُهُ وَصِينَ إبَاؤُهُ

عنْ كُلِّ شائنةِ أَتَمَّ صِيَانِ

Never his pages with their dreams and thoughts

Of culture's jewels and wisdom shall be stilled

وَبِطِيبِ مَحْتِدِهِ زَكَتْ أَخْلاَفُهُ

فَتَضَوَّعَتْ كَالْوَرْدِ فِي نَيْسَانِ

Truth he espoused, so here co-mingled are

The noble and base cualities of life

إنَّ الصَّحَافَةَ فِيهِ عَزَّ عَزَاؤُهَا

مَا خَطْبُهَا فِي صَبِّهَا المُتَفَانِي

Yet more endearing to reproach it seemed

So nothing could from that dissuade him here

فِي النَّابِهِ المُوفِي عَلَى أعْلامِهَا

وَالنَّابِغِ السَّبَّاقِ لِلأَفْرَانِ

His plea grew stronger and his judgment harsh

While his tongue was gentlest ever formed

فَرْدٌ بِهِ جَادَ الزَّمَانُ وَمِثْلُهُ

قِدْماً يَكُونُ مَضِنَّةَ الأَزْمَانِ

Unfearing of reproach for truth, no thing

But conscience over him held any sway

هَيْهَاتَ أنْ تُطْوَى صَحَائِفُ زَانَهَا

بِطَراَئِفِ الآدَابِ وَالعِرْفَانِ

As for his tact, say what you will, his words

Poured forth such radiance and meaning deep

تَخِذَ الْحَقِيقَةَ خُلَّةً فَهُنَا عَلَى

عِلاَّتِ هَذَا الْعَيْشِ يَصْطَحِبانِ

Bringing delight to souls and awe sublime

Through reason's light and revelation's glow

وَيَزيدُهُ كَلَفاً بِهَا عُذَّالُهُ

فِيها فَمَا يَثْنِيهِ عَنْهَا ثَانِ

His chant, when harkened to, returns one to

Quranic measures dual and threefold

تَشْتَدُّ حُجَّتُهُ وَيَجْفُو حُكْمُهُ

وَلِسَانُهُ أبَداُ أَعَفُّ لِسَانِ

Its strains both gently please yet firmly warn

By clarity and meaning interlaced

لَمْ يَخْشَ فِي الْحَقِّ المَلاَمَ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ

لِسِوَى الضَّمِيرِ عَلَيْهِ مِنْ سُلْطَانِ

It casts on life a joyous, wondrous spell

Through truth and evidence in balance weighed

أمَّا يَرَاعَتُهُ فَقُلْ مَا شِئْتَ فِي

لَفْظٍ تَفِيضُ بِدُرِّهِ وَمَعَانِ

And from adversity, none truer stayed

In guarding him, in hiding or declarèd

لَمْ تَجْرِ فِي عَبَثٍ وَلَمْ تُنْكِرْ بِهَا

لُطْفَ المَكَانِ رَوَائعُ الْقُرْآنِ

He rose to virtue's heights with judgment sure

That from afar brings wisdom to your door

لصَريرهَا رَجْعٌ تَسَامَعُهُ النُّهَى

وَلَهُ رَنِينَ مَثَالِثٍ وَمَثَانِ

The constitution's message but his word

Revealed as revelation's chapters poured

يُلْقِِي سُرُوراً فِي النُّفُوسِ وَرَوْعَةً

بِالسَّاطِعَيْنِ الحَقِّ وَالبُرْهَانِ

Men of wisdom heeded the decree

And joined together while dissenters fled

وَعَلَى المَكَارِهِ ظَلَّ أوْفَى مَنْ وَفَى

لِحِمَاهُ فِي الإسْرَارِ وَالإعْلاَنِ

To die fulfilling the Merciful's behest

Seeking only His favor, nothing more

يَسْمُو إلى عُلْيَا الأمُورِ بِفِطْنَةٍ

تَأتِي البَعِيدَ مِنَ الطَّريقِ الدَّانِي

The advocate for his people's cause

With unwavering and tireless zeal

هَلْ بَعْثَةُ الدُّسْتُورِ إلاَّ وَحْيُهُ

مُتَنَزِّلاً كَتَنَزُّلِ الْفُرْقَانِ

The days diverted not his heart and mind

To riches and to comely lads entwined

وَحْيٌ إلَيةِ ثَابَ أرْبَابُ النُّهَى

فَتَألَّفُوا وَالخِلْفُ فِي خِذْلاَنِ

He passed, bequeathing to his sons no wealth

Save that inherited of want and dearth

فِي ذِمَّةِ الرَّحْمَنِ خَيْرُ مُجَاهِدٍ

لَمْ يَلْتَمِسْ إلاَّ رِضَا الرَّحْمَنِ

O God, raise them in righteousness, we ask

And bless them with Your bounty and Your grace

كَانَ المُحَامِي عَنْ قَضِيَّةِ قَوْمِهِ

بِمضَاءِ لاَ وَكَلٍ وَلاَ مُتَوَانِي

Look after her in whom his honor lies

The partner who supported and made ease

لَمْ تَشْغَلِ الأَيَّامُ عَتْهَا قَلْبَهُ

بِالزِّينَتَيْنِ المَالِ وَالوِلْدَانِ

O you who in Egypt shall enduring dwell

Whilst the Nile flows on and the Pyramids yet stand

فَمَضَى وَمَا لِبَنِيهِ إرثَ غَيْرَ مَا

وَرِثُوهُ مِنْ ضَعْفٍ وَمِنْ حِرْمَانِ

Upon your noble face an image shines

Imprinted in men's minds eternally

أَنْبِتْهُمُ اللَّهُمَّ نَبْتاً صَالِحاً

وَتَوَلَّهُمْ بِالْفَضْلِ وَالإحْسَانِ

Your dulcet voice, as long as life endures

In every tender heart echoes its joy

وَارْعَ المُحَصَّنَةَ الَّتِي بَرَّتْ بِهِ

بِرَّ الشَّرِيكِ المُسْعِفِ المِعْوَانِ

Not every corpse is lifeless in the tomb

But only absent far beyond recall

يَا رَحِلاً فِي مِصْرَ يَخْلُدُ ذِكْرُهُ

مَا دَامَ النَّيلُ وَالْهَرَمانِ

Does not man's glory in his works survive

From age to age, their maker magnified?

لَجَمِيلِ وَجْهِكَ صُورَةٌ مَطْبُوعَةٌ

بِالطَّابِعِ الأبَدِيِّ فِي الأَذْهَانِ

Rejoice in bliss your recompense for all

You offered up, amid the gardens' bloom

وَلِصَوْتِكَ الرَّنَّانِ مَا طَالَ المَدَى

فِي كُلِّ جَانِحَةٍ صَدّى تَحْنَانِ

And seek eternity from fleeting life

Whose vanishing cannot touch the eternal soul

مَا المَيْتُ كُلُّ المَيْتِ إلاَّ خَامِلٌ

يُطْوَى وَمَا لَحْدٌ سِوى النِّسْيَانِ

أَلمَجْدُ لِلآثَارِ خَيْرٌ حَافِظاً

فِي كُلِّ عَصْرٍ مِنْهُ لِلأعْيَانِ

فُزْ بِالنَّعِيمِ جَزَاءَ مَا قَدَّمْتَهُ

وَتَمَلَّهُ فِي زَهِرَاتِ جِنَانِ

وَاعْتَضْ خُلُوداً مِنْ حَيَاةٍ إنَّمَا

يُعْتَدُّ فَانِيهَا لِغَيْرِ الفَانِي