أَلتَّاجُ تَاجُ مُمَلَّكِينَ عِظَامِ
صَوْغُ النَّدَى وَالحَزْمِ وَالإِقْدَامِ
The crown is the crown of glorious kings,
The embodiment of wisdom, resolve, and valor.
أُوتِيتَهُ خَلَفاً لأَسْلافٍ مَضَوْا
فَأَلبَسْهُ أَحْسَنَ لِبْسَةٍ لِدَوامِ
You have been granted it as an heir of forebears now gone,
So adorn yourself with its finest raiment to last,
وَتَقَلَّدِ السَّيْفَ الَّذِي إِنْ يَدْعُهُ
دَاعِي الحَقِيقَةِ لَمْ يَكُنْ بكَهَامِ
And gird yourself with the sword which, if the voice
Of truth calls it, will never be sheathed.
سَتَرَاهُ أَقْوَى عُدَّةٍ لِكَرِيهَةٍ
وَتَرَاهُ لأَقْوَى عُدَّةٍ لِسَلامِ
You will find it the firmest weapon against the vile
And the firmest weapon for peace.
لِحُسَامِ جَدِّكَ حِينَ أَسَّسَ مُلكَهُ
عَنَتِ الرِّقَابُ وَدَانَ كُلُّ حُسَامِ
It belonged to your valorous grandfather when he laid the foundations of his kingdom;
Necks bowed down before him and every sword bowed before his.
فَتَحَ الفُتُوحَ بِهِ وَبَثَّ جُيُوشَهُ
مَنْصُورَةً مَرْفُوعَةَ الأَعْلامِ
With it he opened wide the gates of conquest,
his armies flying proud banners held high.
وَاليَوْمَ تُلْفِيهِ نَدىً مُتَمَاسِكاً
مِنْ بَعْدِ أَنْ نَصَلَ الخِضَابُ الدَّامِي
And today it comes to you polished and unblemished
after the blood-red patina has dried.
أَبْقَى لِرَأْيِكَ أَنْ تُصَرِّفَ أَمْرَهُ
وَالرَّأْيُ قَدْ يُغْنِي عَنِ الصَّمْصَامِ
It is best for your judgment to manage its affairs,
and judgment can often render the sword superfluous.
هَلْ فِي العُلَى مُتَبَوَّأً لَكَ بَعْدَ أَنْ
بُوِّئْتَ عَنْ إِرْثٍ أَعَزَّ سَنَامِ
Are you not the most worthy in virtue after
inheriting the noblest heritage?
هَيْهَاتَ يُجْزِيءُ تَالِدٌ عَنْ طَارِفٍ
وَمَعَ الإِصَالَةِ فِيكَ نَفْسُ عِصَامِ
Never! A scion can never measure up to an ancestor,
though moral perfection dwells in you.
عَرْشٌ أَقِيمَ فَلَمْ يَتِمَّ بِنَاؤُهُ
حَتَّى انْقَضَتْ مِئَةٌ مِنَ الأَعْوَامِ
A throne established whose construction took
a hundred years to complete,
وُلِّيتَهُ فِي مَبْدَأِ اسْتِقْلالِهِ
وَلَهُ مِنَ الشورَى أَشَد دِعَامِ
You came to at the start of its independence,
with the council Its strongest pillar.
مَا أَكْرَمَ الشورَى عَلَى مَلِكٍ يَرَى
أَلاَّ يَسُوقَ الشَّعْبَ سَوْقَ سَوَامِ
How honorable is the council to a king who sees
that the people must not be driven like sheep!
جَمَعَتْ حَوَالَيْكَ القُلُوبَ وَخَيْرُ مَا
جَمَعَ القلُوبَ العَدْلُ فِي الأحْكَامِ
It draws hearts around you, and what brings hearts together
better than justice in governance?
إِمَّا حَلَفْتَ لَهَا وَوَعْدُكَ صَادِقٌ
فَلِمِثْلِهَا التَّوْكِيدُ بالأقْسَامِ
You have sworn to it - your promise is honest -
so it is right to confirm it with oaths.
يَا بَدْرَ مِصْرَ وَمَا بَرِحَتْ هِلالَهَا
عَجَب تَمَامُكَ قَبْلَ آنِ تَمَامِ
O moon of Egypt! Its crescent has never ceased
to marvel - your perfection before your time is full.
تؤْتَى المُلُوك الحَزْمَ بَعْدَ تَجَارِبٍ
وَكَأَنَّمَا تُؤْتَاهُ بِالإِلْهَامِ
Kings gain wisdom through experience,
yet you seem to gain it through inspiration.
تِلْكَ البَوَاكِيرُ الَّتِي أَبْدَيْتَهَا
بَهَرَتْ حِلاهَا وَهْيَ فِي الأكْمَامِ
Those first fruits you displayed,
their splendor dazzled, though buds in their sheaths.
فَلَقَدْ شَهِدْنَا مِنْكَ كُل فَضِيلَةٍ
شَفَّتْ عَنِ الغَدِ مِنْ أَرَقِّ لِثَامِ
For we have seen in you every virtue
that reveals the future from behind the flimsiest veil.
أَدَبٌ تَشَربُهُ النُّفُوسُ فَتَنْتَشِي
حَتى تَخِفَّ وَمَا انْتَشَتْ بِمُدَامِ
Manners imbibed by souls to give them cheer
till they relax, not drugged by wine.
مَلأَتْ مَحَاسِنُهُ العُيُونَ وَنَوَّرَتْ
كَأَزَاهِرِ الغُصْنِ النَّضِيرِ النَّامِي
Their beauty fills eyes and illuminates
like flowers on a delicate, tender branch.
جُودٌ يَصِحُّ الوَصْفُ فِي تَشْبِيهِهِ
بِالمِّبلِ أَوْ بِالعَارِضِ السَّجَّامِ
Generosity whose description is true
if likened to clouds or torrential rain.
شَمِلَ النَّوَاحِي فَهْيَ رَاوِيَةٌ بِمَا
تَلْقَاهُ مِنْ صَوْبِ النَّوَالِ الهامِي
It covers all regions, satisfied by what pours
forth from your clouds of bounty.
حِلْمٌ وَمَا شَرْخُ الشَّبَابِ مَحَلُّهُ
رَدَّ الأُولَى سَفِهُوا إِلَى الأَحْلامِ
Clemency - though rashness lies in youth -
that sends the foolish back to their senses.
رَأَبَ الصُّدُوعَ المُوهِيَاتِ بِوَصْلِهِ
مَا انْبَتَّ حَوْلَ العَرْشِ مِنْ أَرْحَامِ
It mends rifts that undermine,
however many generations spawn them.
إِنْ كَانَ عَفْوَ الطَّبْعِ أَوْ عَنْ حِكْمَةٍ
فَبِهِ يَسُودُ أَعَاظِمُ الحُكَّامِ
Whether innate or out of wisdom,
it makes mightiest rulers triumphant.
دِينٌ بِهِ زِنْتَ الحَيَاةَ وَصُنْتَهَا
مِنْ كُلِّ شَيْنٍ نَتَّقِيهِ وَذَامِ
A faith that gives life meaning and protects it
from all shameful flaws we shun.
كَمْ فِيهِ مِنْ بُشْرَى تَوَسَّمُهَا المُنَى
لِفَخَارِ مِصْرَ وَعِزَّةِ الإِسْلامِ
What blissful tidings it foretells for Egypt's pride
and the glory of Islam!
عِلْمٌ وَرَدْتَ العَذْبَ مِنْ يَنْبُوعِهِ
وَنَهِلْتَ مَا فِيهِ شِفَاءَ أُوَامِ
Knowledge you have tasted the sweetest springs of
and drunk your fill of what cures all ills.
شَمِلَ الثَّقَافَاتِ الرَّفِيعَةَ وَانْتَحَى
أَرْقَ مَنَاحِيهَا مِنَ الإِحْكَامِ
It encompasses the noblest cultures, distilling
their most fragrant, exquisite extractions.
حِسّاً وَمَعْنىً لَمْ تَدَعْ مَا تَقْتَضِي
مِنْهَا العُلَى لِمُقَوِّمِ القُوَّامِ
In spontaneity and meaning it leaves nothing out
that the sublime demands for perfect order.
أَلمَرْجِعُ الأَسْمَى بِحِكْمَتِهِ لِمَا
فِي الأَمْرِ مِنْ نَقْضٍ وَمِنْ إِبْرَامِ
The higher the source of its wisdom, the better
it mends flaws and bindsFast what is resolved.
تَتَجَشَّمُ الأَعْمَالَ مَهْمَا تَخْتَلِفْ
رُتَباً لِمَعْنىً فَوْقَهَا مُتَسَامِ
You take up tasks however difficult,
for the sake of a principle above you.
وَتُمَارِسُ الآفَاتِ لاِسْتِبْطَانِهَا
وَتُحَقِّقُ النَّظَرَاتِ بِالإِنْعَامِ
You tackle vices to uncover their secrets,
ascertaining insights by conferring favor.
تَفْدِي الفِرَاسَةُ فِي الغَرَانِيقِ العُلَى
دَرْباً عَلَى الإِسْرَاجِ وَالإِلْجَامِ
Far-sightedness in the highest offices
finds passage by shedding light and spurring on.
وَمُرَوِّضاً خَيْلَ البُخَارِ يَحُثُّهَا
بِهُدَى البَصِيرِ وَجُرْأَةِ المُتَرامِي
And, guiding the steeds of Bukhara, you rouse them
with the vision of the wise and daring of the ambling camel.
إِنْ يَخْتَدِمْ فَلَهُ الفَخَارُ وَكُلُّ ذِي
قَدْرٍ لِسُدَّتِهِ مِنَ الخُدَّامِ
If they race, yours is the pride - all people of worth
are your stewards.
أَوْ يَرْكَبِ الأَخْطَارَ فَهْوَ كَمِيُّهَا
هَلْ تُدْرِكُ الأَخْطَارُ بِالإِحْجَامِ
Or if you dare perils, you are their measure -
can perils be avoided by hanging back?
تِلْكَ الفَضَائِلُ هَيَّأَتْهُ يَافِعاً
لِيَكُونَ أَرْشَدَ عَاهِلٍ وِإِمَامِ
These are the virtues that as a youth made you
the wisest sovereign and imam.
وَيُقِرُّ مَمْلَكَةً إِلَيْهِ أَمْرُهَا
بَيْنَ المَمَالِكِ فِي أَجَلِّ مَقَامِ
A kingdom whose affairs are yielded to you
among realms, in the finest place.
هَيْهَاتَ أَنْ تُنْسَى فَوَاتِحُهُ الَّتِي
حَسْنَتْ وَرَاءَ مَطَامِحِ الأَوْهَامِ
Never shall those first fruits be forgotten
that flourished beyond imagination's vaulting ambitions.
وَبَدَتْ لأَهْلِ الغَرْبِ فِي إِلْمَامِهِ
للهِ حِكْمَةُ ذَلِكَ الإِلْمَامِ
To Western eyes your mastery first shone -
by God's wisdom shone that mastery.
زَارَ الفِرنْجَةَ شِبْلُ مِصْرَ فَأَبْصَرَتْ
مَا سَوْفَ تَبْلُوهُ مِنَ الضِّرْغَامِ
The cub of Egypt visited the Franks
and they saw what thick gloom he would dispel.
فَمُلُوكُهَا وَشُعُوبُهَا يَلْقَوْنَهُ
بِأَعَزِّ مَا ادَّخَرُوا مِنَ الإكْرَامِ
So their kings and peoples greeted him
with their most prized treasures of honor.
قَطَفَتْ بَوَاكِيرَ الوُرُودِ وَقَلَّمَتْ
أَشْوَاكَهَا لِتَحِيَّةٍ وَسَلامِ
They culled the first flowers of roses, trimming
their thorns for greetings and peace.
وَجَرَتْ بِأَشْفَى مِنْ رَبِيعِيِّ النَّدَى
فَوْقَ الطُّرُوسِ أَسِنَّةُ الأَقْلامِ
They poured with sweeter than a spring downpour
over pageants the eloquence of pens.
نَاهِيكَ بِالزِّينَاتِ مِمَّا أَبْدَعَتْ
كَفُّ الصَّنَاعِ وَفِطْنَةُ الرَّسَّامِ
The marvels of adornment - how artistry's creation
and painters' genius outdid themselves!
عَجَبَانِ فَوْقَ مَوَاقِعِ الأَبْصَارِ مِنْ
حُسْنٍ وَتَحْتَ مَوَاطِيءِ الأَقْدَامِ
Wonders over the range of sights, in beauty below,
and scenes at every step, sublime.
كَانَتْ مَشَاهِدَ لَمْ تَرِدْ أَشْبَاهُهَا
فِي فِكْرِ مُسْتَمِعٍ وَلا مُسْتَامِ
Spectacles never witnessed by listener or viewer -
the magnificent guest was gladdened and, in his spirit,
قَدْ سَرَّتْ الضَّيف العَظِيمَ وَدُونَهَا
فِي كُنْهِ مَا يَرْمِي إِلَيْهِ مَرَامِ
saw vistas beyond those before his eyes:
the Nile, the Pyramids loomed ahead.
صُوَرٌ بِعَيْنَيْهِ بَدَتْ وَوَرَاءهَا
صُوَرٌ بَدَتْ لِلنَّيلِ وَالأَهْرَامِ
What did he harbor, his concerns still remote?
Grandeur guarded him and his ward from vulgar mobs.
مَاذَا يَرُومُ وَلا يزَالُ لِدَاتُهُ
يَلْهُونَ مِنْ أَمْرٍ بَعِيدِ مَرَامِ
See him in museums asking about an exhibit
of their treasures from bygone days,
تَنْهَى الجَلالَةُ رَبَّهَا وَرَبِيبَهَا
عَنْ كُلِّ مَوْقِفِ سُوقَةٍ وَطَغَامِ
Or in shops on some personal errand,
where self-respect is not purchased with money,
فَانْظُرْ إِلَيْهِ فِي المَتَاحِفِ سَائلاً
عَنْ حَادِثٍ مِنْ ذُخْرِهَا وَقُدَامِ
Or in factories and farms investigating
the means of prospering his people.
أَوْ فِي المَتَاجِرِ وَهْوَ طَالِبُ حَاجَةٍ
نَفُسَتْ فَلَيْسَتْ تُشْتَرَى بِسَوَامِ
A care dwelling in him for his nation’s revival
at every halt and sojourn.
أَوْ فِي المَصَانِعِ وَالمَزَارِعِ بَاحِثاً
عَنْ مَبْعَثِ الإِثْرَاءِ لِلأَقْوَامِ
No privation distracts him from his burdens
but the heart’s heat and spirit’s fervor.
هَمٌّ يُسَاوِرُهُ لِنَهْضَةِ شَعْبِهِ
فِي كُلِّ مُرْتَحَلٍ وَكُلِّ مُقَامِ
That visit to parliament was no leisure trip -
it paved the way for hopes now bearing fruit.
لا يَسْتَقِل بِهِ عَلَى أَعْبَائِهِ
إِلاَّ حِجَى دَرِبٍ وَقَلْبُ هُمَامِ
Egypt’s pride encountered there
figures world powers had molded.
ذَاكَ الطَّوَافُ بِمُنْتَرَايَ
وَلَمْ تَكُنْ مَكَانَ تَرَوُّحٍ وَجَمَامِ
It uncovered the unknowns of destiny
and matched the strengths of minds there.
مَهَدَ السَّبِيلَ فَكَانَ أَيْمَنَ طَالِعٍ
لِنَجَاحِ آمَالٍ هُنَاكَ جِسَامِ
And your Lord granted victory to those who spoke
for Egypt, above all speech.
أَعْلامُ مِصْرَ لَقُوا بِهَا فِي حَلْبَةٍ
مَنْ وَجَّهَتْ دُوَلٌ مِنَ الأَعْلامِ
They broke shackles bound by expired causes
patched up, not made to last.
فَتَكَشَّفَتْ فِيهَا خَفِيَّاتُ المُنَى
وَتَسَاجَلَتْ فِيهَا قُوَى الأَفْهَامِ
By her honor and independence
they escaped the grasp of tyrants.
وَأَتَاحَ رَبُّكَ لِلَّذِينَ تَكَلَّمُوا
عَنْ مِصْرَ نَصْراً فَوْقَ كُلِّ كَلامِ
Conquests were completed from when you took up
a dear land whose fortune none had shared.
فَكُّوا قُيُوداً أُبْرِمَتْ أَسْبَابُهَا
وَعَلَى التَّقَادُمِ لَمْ تَكُنْ بِرِمَامِ
Her holidays vied as if her risings
were dream-like respites from sleep.
وَنَجَوْا بِعِزَّتِهَا وَبِاسْتِقْلالِهَا
مِنْ حَوْزَةِ الآسَادِ الآجَامِ
Her dawns drowned her nights, shielding her
from darkness blanketing.
تَمَّتْ فُتُوحٌ مُذْ وَلِيتَ عَزِيزَةٌ
لَمْ تَتَّسِقْ لِمُوَفَّقٍ فِي عَامِ
Her days competed with finery
as if brides adorned for their day.
فَتَتَابَعَتْ أَعْيَادُهَا وَكَأَنَّهَا
يَقَظَاتُهَا خُلَسٌ مِنَ الأَحْلامِ
But your accession is the utmost joy,
worthiest of grandeur and majesty.
غَمَرَتْ صَبَاحَتُهَا لَيَالِيَهَا فَلَمْ
تَقَعِ اللِّحَاظُ بِهَا عَلَى إِظْلامِ
The feast of crowns came like a singular bloom
succeeding that first bloom, equal in its marvelous laws.
وَتَنَافَسَتْ بِحُلِيِّهَا أَيَّامُهَا
فَكَأَنَّهُنَّ عَرَائِسُ الأَيَّامِ
Two holidays that declared openly
what had been whispered in proclamations.
أَمَّا جُلُوسُكَ فَهْوَ أًَوْفَى بَهْجَةٍ
وَأَحَقُّ بِالإِكْبَارِ وَالأَفْخَامِ
How fine your return is, while yearning
for your radiant visage grips the land!
وَافَى وَعِيدُ التَّاجِ شِبْهُ فَرِيدَةٍ
تَتْلُو الفَرِيدَةَ فِي بَدِيعِ نِظَامِ
Eyes and hearts bore to you their fervent
welcome for your blessed, lofty arrival.
عِيدَانِ أَعْلَنَتِ السَّرَائِرُ فِيهِمَا
مَا أَضْمَرَتْهُ بِأَبْلَغِ الإِعْلامِ
We were young together and played together,
finding joy pure, not base.
يَا حُسْنَ عَوْدِكَ وَالبِلادُ يَشُفُّهَا
ظَمأٌ لِطَلْعَةِ وَجْهِكَ البَسَّامِ
Our joking yielded delight
to those of taste sound and wise.
حَمَلَتْ إِلَيْكَ عُيُونَهَا وَقُلُوبَهَا
جَذْلَى بِمَقْدَمِكَ السَّعِيدِ السَّامِي
He donned the first down of youth
and that soft fuzz lent him prestige,
شَبَبْنَا مَعاً وَلَعِبْنَا مَعاً
وَطَابَ لَنَا اللَّهْوَ إِلاَّ ذَمِيمَا
His beard lending him gravity
without diminishing his mildness.
وَكَانَ الجَنَى مِنْ دُعَابَاتِنَا
فُكَاهَةَ مَنْ ذَاقَ ذَوْقاً سَلِيمَا
Thus he passed through life's struggle,
plunging into gloom with persistence and resolve.
تَحَلَّمَ وَهْوَ نَضِيرُ الصِّبَا
فَجَلَّلَ ذَاكَ المُحَيَّا الوَسِمَا
He withstands turmoil and suffers estrangement,
while refusing to bow down submissively to injustice.
يَخَالُ لِلِحْيَتِهِ هَيْبَةً
وَلَحْيَتُهُ لا تُنَفِّرُ فِيهِ حَلِيمَا
He finds amusement however much he suffers,
and life has not been merely bleak.
كَذَاكَ مَضى فِي كِفَاحِ الحَيَاةِ
وَخَاضَ الغِمَارَ دَؤُوباً عَزُومَا
Hardships beset him but never soured him,
nor made him forget his old smile.
يُسَامُ اضْطِراباً وَيَشْقَى اغْتِراباً
وَيَأْبَى عَلَى الضَّيْمِ أَنْ يَسْتَنِيمَا
News of your engagement enthralled the land,
for you were its caring, wise physician.
يَجِد وَيَمْزَحُ مَهْمَا يُجَشَّمْ
وَلَمْ يَكُ فِي العَيْشِ إِلاَّ غَرِيمَا
أَلَحَّتْ فَمَا عَبَّسَتْهُ الخُطُوبُ
وَلَمْ تُنْسِهِ الاِبْتِسَامَ القَدِيمَا
أَمَحْجُوبُ خَطْبُكَ رَاعَ البِلادَ
وَقَدْ كُنْتَ فِيهَا الطَّبِيبَ العَلِيمَا
