يَا صُورَةً شَبَّهَتْ صَخْراً بِإِنْسَانِ
فِي رَوْعَةٍ مَلأَتْ قَلْبِي وَإَِنْسَانِي
O image that made rock resemble man
In awe that filled my heart and humanity
لا وَجْهَ أَبْهَى وَلا أَزْهَى بِرَوْنَقِهِ
مِنْ وَجَهْكَ النَّضْرِ فِي مَنْحُوتِ صَوَّانِ
No face is more radiant or adorned in elegance
Than your verdant face in sculpted beauty
مَن المَلِيكُ الَّذِي تَثْنِي جَلالَتُهُ
عَنْهُ وَيَمْضِي فَمَا يَثْنِيهِ مِنْ ثَانِ
Who is the king whose majesty declines
From him, though none make him decline?
هَذَا فَتَى النَّبِيلِ ذُو التَّاجَيْنِ مِنْ قِدَمٍ
هَذَا فَتَى مِصْرَ رَاعَمِسيسٌ الثَّانِي
This is the noble prince with the double crown from antiquity
This is Egypt's prince, Ramesses the Second
سِيزُسْتُريسُ الَّذِي دَانَ العُتَاةُ لَهُ
كِنْ قَوْمِ حِثٍّ وَمِنْ فُرْسٍ وَيُونَانِ
Sethos who the arrogant obeyed
Foes of the Hittites, Persians, and Greeks
إِنْ قَصَّرَ الجَيْشُ أَغْرَى الرَّأْيَ أَمْكِنَةً
مَا فَازَ خَاتِلُهَا مِنْهَا بِإِمْكَانِ
If the army fell short, shrewd strategy
Availed not its assailant in the least
مَمْنُونُ مُرْدِي الأَعَادِي غَيْرَ مُحْتَشِمٍ
بَطْشاً وَمُسْدِي الأَيَادِي غَيْرَ مَنَّانِ
Firm of will, not sparing foes disgrace
Forceful of hand, not gentle in embrace
مُسْتَقْبِلُ الشَّمْسِ عَبْرَ النَّهْرِ مَا طَلَعَتْ
صُبْحاً بِرَأْسٍ مِنَ الجُلْمُودِ رَنَّانِ
Eastward facing, ne'er did the sun rise
In the morn o’er any glistening brow so fine
أَنَاظِرٌ أَنْتَ لَمَّا هَمَّ كيْفَ خَطَا
مِنَ الصَّفَا غَيْرَ مُعْتَاقٍ وَلا عَانِ
You scrutinize how one’s path winds
From clarity, neither freed nor content
هُوَ المَضَاءُ تَرَاءى فَاسْتَوَى رَجُلاً
هُوَ الإِبَاءُ رَعَى ضُعْفِي فَحَيَّانِي
He is the splendor, erect in human form
He is the glory, tending my frailty, reviving me
قَارَبْتُ سُدَّتَهُ العُلْيَا عَلَى وَجَلٍ
وَلَمْ أَخَلْهُ يُنَاجِينِي فَنَاجَانِي
I drew near his lofty turban reverently
He did not refrain from whispering, conversing with me
تَرَاهُ عَيْنَايَ مَغْضُوضاً لِهَيْبَتِهِ
طَرْفَاهُمَا وَتَرَانِي مِنْهُ عَيْنَانِ
I see him, eyes averted in awe
While mine behold him in awe
أَرَابَنِي أَنَّنِي قَبْلاً بَصُرْتُ بِهِ
مُحَنَّطاً مُدْرَجاً فِي سَودِ أَكْفَانِ
He intimated that I had seen him before
Embalmed, laid in funereal black shrouds
أَكْبِرْ بِرَمْسِيسَ مَيْتاً لَنْ يُلِمَّ بِهِ
مَوْتٌ وَأَكْبِرْ بِهِ حَيّاً إِلَى الآنِ
Magnify Ramesses dead, no death will touch him
And magnify him alive, until this day
تَقَوَّضَ الصَّرحُ فِيما حَوْلَهُ وَنَجَا
عَلَى التَّقَادُمِ لَمْ يُمْسَسْ بِحِدْثَانِ
The citadel crumbled around him, yet he remained
Unaltered by time, no renewing hand disturbed him
لَوْلا تَمَاثِيلُهُ الأُخْرَى مُحَطَّمَةً
مَا جَالَ فِي ظَنِّ فَانٍ أَنَّهُ فَانِ
Were not his other statues shattered
None would think him transient, destined to perish
فِي مِصْرَ كَمْ عَزَّ فِرْعَونٌ فَمَا خَلَدُوا
خُلودَهُ بَيْنَ أَبْصَارٍ وَأَذْهَانِ
In Egypt, how many pharaohs rose high then faded
From sights and minds despite their grandeur
وَلَمْ يَتِمَّ لَهَا فِي غَيْرِ مُدَّتِهِ
مَا تَمَّ مِنْ فَضْلِ إِثْرَاءٍ وَعُمْرَانِ
And none but he completed in other than his time
What perfection of luxury and civilization was done
وَلَمْ يَسِرْ بِبَنِيهَا مِثْلَ سِرَتِهِ
سَاعٍ إِلَى النَّصْرِ لا سَاهٍ وَلا وَانِ
And none led his people as he led them
To victory, never lagging or reluctant
مِنْ مُنْتَهَى النِّيلِ فِي أَيَّامِهِ اتَّسَعَتْ
إِلَى أَعَالِيهِ فِي نُوبٍ وَ سُودَانِ
From uppermost Nile in his day it expanded
To its farthest reaches in Nubia and Sudan
وَمِنْ عَلِيِّ الذُّرَى فِي الطُّورِ عَنْ كَثَبٍ
إِلَى قَصَيِّ الرُّبَى فِي أَرْضِ كَنْعَانِ
And from lofty summits on Mount Sinai
To lowland plains in the land of Canaan
فِي أَرْضِ كَنْعَانَ إلاَّ عَسْكَرَهُ
أَحَسَّ مَا بَأْسُ شَعْبٍ مِذْعَانِ
In Canaan, only his army experienced
The might of a defiant populace
أَعَادَ كَرَّاتِهِ فِيهَا وَعَادَ عَلَى
أَعْقَابِهِ بَعْدَ إِيغَالٍ وَإِمْعَانِ
He turned his bands back therein and returned
After deep advance and resolve
فَمَا يُرَى نَقْعُهُ وَهْوَ الضَّبَابُ عَلا
تِلْكَ الرُّبَى فَدَحَاهَا دَحْوَ قِيعَانِ
Like fog which looms over the hills
Enshrouding them in thick vapor
حَتَّى تَهِبُّ بِهِ رِيحٌ فَتَرْجِعُهُ
عَنْهَا عَثُوراً بِأَذْيَالٍ وَأَرْدَانِ
Until a wind gusts tearing it away
In shreds of tails and tendrils
وَتَبْرُزَ القُمَمُ الشَّمَّاءُ ذَاهِبَةً
فِي الأَوْجِ تَحْسَبُهَا أَجْزَاءَ أَعْنَانِ
Bare peaks arise, soaring aloft
Deemed in the haze part of towering crags
مَغْسُولَةً بِدِمَاءِ الفَجْرِ طَالِعَهَا
مِنْ أَدْمُعِ القَطْرِ ذُرٌّ فَوْقَ مَرْجَانِ
Bathed in the blood of dawn, moistened
By dewy drops atop coral
سُفُوحُها حُرَّةٌ وَالهَامُ مُطْلَقَةٌ
وَكُلُّ عَانٍ بِهَا بَعْدَ الأَسَى هَانِي
Their slopes ardent, passions unbridled
Every eye brightened after gloom
وَمَوْقِعُ الذُّلِّ نَاءٍ عَنْ أَعِزَّتِهَا
كَمَوْقِعِ الظِّلِّ عَنْ هَامَاتِ لُبْنَانِ
And the seat of humiliation, remote from its glory
Is like the shade’s remove from Lebanon’s pines
لَكِنَّمَا الخِلْفُ فِي الجَارَيْنِ صَارَ إِلَى
حِلْفٍ وَأَدْنَى إِلَى الصُّلحِ الأَشَدَّانِ
Yet accord grew between the estranged
As the noble sphere acquiesced to their desires
وَإِنَّ خَيْراً حَلِيفاً مَنْ تَرُوضُ بِهِ
صَعْباً وَتُولِيهِ وُدّاً بَعْدَ عُدوَانِ
They reconciled, so the lofty air cleared for both
All rebelliousness voluntarily submitting
تَصَافَيَا فَصَفَا جَوُّ العُلَى لَهُمَا
وَطَوُّعاً مَا عَصَى مِمَّا يَرُومَانِ
Oft was such fellowship a comfort to both
Despite the nights’ changing fortunes
وَطَالَمَا كَانَ ذَاكَ الإِلفُ بَيْنَهُمَا
عَلَى صُرُوفِ اللَّيَالِي خَيْرَ مِعْوَانِ
In time’s advent, nations were ignorant
Refined by the mind’s inventions in two eras
فِي مَبْدأِ الدَّهْرِ وَالأَقْوَامِ جَاهِلَةٌ
زَهَا بِمُبْتَكَرَاتِ العَقْلِ عَصْرَانِ
One whose ingenuity the Phoenicians created
And excelled with initiative and benevolence
عَصْرٌ بِمَا ابْتَدَعَ الفِينِيقُ وَاخْتَرَعُوا
فِيهِ لَهُ فَضْلُ سَبَّاقٍ وَمِحْسَانِ
And Egypt’s, whose wonders surpassed
Any of past or present in luxury and artistry
وَعَصْرُ مِصْرَ الَّذِي فَاقَتْ رَوَائِعُهُ
أيَ الأَجَدَّيْنِ مِنْ فَخْمٍ وَمُزْدَانِ
Eras succeeded in the valley adorned by it
With masterpieces of creativity and skill
مِمَّا تَوَالَتْ عَلَى الوَادِي بِهِ حِقَبٌ
زِينَتْ حَوَاشِي الصَّفَا مِنْهُ بِأَفْنَانِ
Two civilizations the path to eminence attained through
Enriching all cultivation and knowledge
حَضَارَتَانِ سَمَا شَأْوُ النُّهَى بِهِمَا
أَفَادَتَا كُلَّ تَثْقِيفٍ وَعِرْفَانِ
By their unity of purpose since ancient times
Glory and esteem have remained associated
وَبِاتِّحَادِهِمَا فِي الشَّأْنِ مِنْ قِدَمٍ
مَا زَالَ يَرْتَبِطُ الأَسْنَى مِنَ الشَّانِ
O Ramesses’ glory, how much you astounded
Leaving behind questions that perplexed
يَا مَجْدَ رَمْسِيسَ كَمْ أَبْقَيْتَ مِنْ عَجَبٍ
فِيهِ وَمَسْأَلةٍ عَنْهُ لِحَيْرَانِ
In enmity, hate the destructive, vengeful foe
And history will praise the benign
أَبْغِضْ بِهِ فِي العِدَى مِنْ هَادِمٍ حَنِقٍ
وَحَبَّذَا هُوَ التَّارِيخِ مِنْ بَانِ
He raised citadels as he raised conquests ruthlessly
Not sparing conqueror or pitying supplicant
عَالَى الصُّرُوحَ كَمَا وَالَى الفُتُوحَ بِلا
رِفْقٍ بِقَاصٍ وَلا عَطْفٍ عَلَى دَانِ
Is it fitting his station in glory be his
Had he softened to elders or youth?
أَكَانَ مَنْزِلُهُ فِي المَجْدِ مَنْزِلَهُ
لَوْ رَقَّ قَلْباً لِشِيبٍ أَوْ لِشُبَّانِ
Or was it inevitable Egypt attained under him
The pinnacle rivaling all sovereignties?
أَمْ كَانَ مَا أَدْرَكْتْ مِصْرٌ عَلَى يَدِهِ
ذَاكَ المَقَامُ الَّذِي أَزْرَى بِكِيوَانِ
He chose the optimal course for himself and her
So that through him she rose and abased each rival
تَخَيَّرَ الخُطَّةَ المُثْلَى لَهُ وَلَهَا
يَعْلُو فَتَعْلُو بِهِ وَالخَفْضُ لِلشَّانِي
He remained the pantheon’s god whom they adored
And high priest of a crazed, raving herd
مَا زَالَ بِالقَوْمِ حَتَّى صَار بَيْنَهُمُ
إِلهَ جُنْدٍ تُحَابِيهِ وَكُهَّانِ
Who in secret and openly were distraught with passion for him
Each quaking with fervor, their hidden deity, the violator
وَرَبَّ سَائِمَةٍ بَلْهَاءَ هَائِمَةٍ
تَشْقَى وَتَهْوَاهُ فِي سِرٍّ وَإِعْلانِ
They exalted him beneath the crown’s canopy
And kissed their blood on the gory marble
يَسُومُهَا كُلُّ خَسْفٍ وَهْيَ صَابِرَةٌ
لا صَبْرَ عَقْلٍ وَلَكِنْ صَبْرَ إِيمَانِ
Today, were she roused from her grave
She would find him as she had known him for ages
أَلا وَقَدْ بَلَغَتْ فِي الخَافِقِينَ بِهِ
مَكَانَةً لَمْ تَكُنْ مِنْهَا بِحُسْبَانِ
Still a rock, true to the covenant she pledged
Without a heart, though possessing a body
إِنْ بَاتَ فِي حُجُبٍ بَاءَتْ إِلَى نُصُبٍ
يَلُوخُ مِنْهُ لَهَا مَعْبُودُهَا الجَانِي
Subjugating his people, whimsically served
No evil lord desired pure charity
فَبَجَّلَتْ تَحْتَ تَاجِ المُلْكِ مُدْمِيهَا
وَقَبَّلَتْ دَمَهَا فِي المَرْمَرِ القَانِي
They are those who aided his difficult aims
With wealth and servants submitting themselves
وَاليَوْمَ لَوْ بُعِثَتْ مِنْ قَبْرِهَا لَبَدَا
لَهَا كَمَا خَبَرَتْهُ مُنْذُ أَزْمَانِ
And they are those who, foolishly sworn to him
Indebted him, forfeiting the creditor’s right
مَا زَالَ صَخْراً عَلَى العَهْدِ الَّذِي عَهِدَتْ
بِلا فُؤَادٍ وَإِنْ دَاجَى بِجُثْمَانِ
In what did they excel? Their ways faded
When they passed, captives of shrouds
مُسَخِّراً قَوْمَهُ طُرّاً لِخِدْمَتِهِ
وَمَا بَغَى رُبَّ سُوءٍ مَحْضَ إِحْسَانِ
Their names forgotten, buried obscurely
In his etched secrecy, concealed
مُخَلَّدَ المَجْدِ دُونَ القَائِمِينَ بِهِ
مِنْ شُوسِ حَرْبٍ وَصُنَّاعٍ وَأَعْوَانِ
If the people are ignorant, a just rule obliges
The elite their due of governor and sultan
مُخَالِساً ذِمَّةَ العَلْيَاءِ مُضْطَجِعاً
مِنْ عِصْمَتِهَا فِي مَضْجَعِ الزَّانِي
Or the people wise, power held in their hands
Not heeding possessions or dignitaries
بِحَيْثُ آبَ وَكُلُّ الفَخْرِ حِصَّتُهُ
وَلَمْ يَؤُبْ غَيْرُهُ إِلاَّ بِحِرْمَانِ
Would that the lands whose ways are corrupted
Were raised up by virtuous currents against the tide of tyranny
كَمْ رَاحَ جَمْعٌ فِدَى فَرْدٍ وَكَمْ بُذِلَتْ
فِي مُشْتَرَى سَيِّدٍ أَرْوَاحُ عُبْدَانِ
Is not fire better suited to burn in the abode of the haughty
Than numb survival in haunts of bliss?
لِمُوقِعِ الأَمْرِ فِيهِمْ كُلُّ تَكْرمَةٍ
وَمُنْفِذِ الأَمْرِ فِيهِمْ كُلُّ نِسْيَانِ
Honor one of ambitions; the disgraced may be saved
From devastation and loss
كَلاَّ وَعِزَّتِهِ فِيما طَغَى وَبَغَى
وَذُلَّ مَنْ قَبِلَ الضِّيزَى بِإِذْعَانِ
He storms through them like a gale, transporting them
From meager existence to fervor’s field
هُمُ الَّذِينَ عَلَى عُسْرٍ بِمَطْلَبِهِ
قَدْ أَسْعَفُوهُ بِأَمْوَالٍ وَفِتْيَانِ
Some tyrants, when their evil peaks, may benefit
Their homelands, intentionally or not
وَهُمُ عَلَى سَفَهٍ دَانُوا بِمَنْ نَصَبُوا
فَخَوَّلُوهُ مَدِيناً حَقَّ دَيَّانِ
Did Egypt under him ever attain such pinnacle
Among nations and cities, previously or hence?
فِيمَ الأُولَى صَنَعُوا أَنْصَابَهُ دَرَسَتْ
رُسُومُهُمْ مُنْذُ بَاتُوا رَهْنَ أَكْفَانِ
When all formidable runners grew weary
Of forging ahead furthest toward the goal
وَمَا لأَسْمَائِهِمْ دُونَ اسْمِهِ دُفِنَتْ
شُعْثاً مُنَكَّرَةً فِي رَمْسِ كِتمَانِ
Do we not see in the citadel's remnants how they surpassed
With human features exposed, uncouth
إِنْ يَجْهَلِ الشَّعْبُ فَالحُكْمُ الخَلِيقُ بِهِ
حَقُّ العَزِيزَينِ مِنْ وَالٍ وَسُلْطَانِ
And how they returned, Ramesses foremost among them
To the meadows with markets and servants?
أَوْ يَرْشُدُ الشَّعْبُ يُنْسِ الأَمْرُ فِي يَدِهِ
وَلا اعْتِدادَ بِأَمْلاكٍ وَأَعْيَانِ
After he distinguished himself between the two rulers through them
He became supreme, elevated among idols
لَيْتَ البِلادَ الَّتِي أَخْلاقُهَا رَسَبَتْ
يَعْلُو بِأَخْلاقِهَا تَيَّارُ طُغْيَانِ
Yesterday offered to deities as a sacrifice
Today, lords make him the offering
أَلنَّارُ أَسْوَغُ وِرْداً فِي مَجَالِ عُلىً
مِنْ بَارِدِ العَيْشِ فِي أَفْيَاءِ فَيْنَانِ
If their supreme Lord is unknown, no surprise
Can order exist devoid of a sun in the universe?
أَكْرِمْ بِذِي مَطْمَعٍ فِي جَنْبِ مَطْمَعِهِ
يَنْجُو الأَذِلاَّءُ مِنْ خَسْفٍ وَخُسْرَانِ
Ignorance birthed in them whims for sculpting and painting
Masterpieces, structures, and buildings
يَهُبُّ فِيهِمْ كَإِعْصَارٍ فَيَنْقُلُهُمْ
مِنْ خَفْضِ عَيْشٍ إِلَى هَيْجَاءِ مَيْدَانِ
Marvels of skill, exquisite in detail
At which every industrious tribe marveled
بَعْضُ الطُّغَاةِ إِذَا جَلَّتْ إِسَاءَتُهُ
فَقَدْ يَكُونُ بِهِ نَفْعٌ لأَوْطَانِ
Time passed, devoid of such wonders, because of and for them
Perfecting past and present in wisdom and craft
في كُلِّ مَفْخَرَةٍ تَسْمُو بِهَا
تَفْنَى جُمُوعٌ مُفَادَاةً لأُحْدَانِ
Confounding nations, they derived from them
Principles of law, faith, and government
كَم فِي سَنَى الكَوْكَبِ الوَهَّاجِ مَهْلَكَةٍ
فِي كُلِّ لَمْحٍ لأَضْوَاءٍ وَأَلوَانِ
And from their ruins, they drew each ornament
Without reserve from Greek or Roman
لَمْ تَرْقَ حَقْبَةٍ مِصْرٌ كَمَا رَقِيَتْ
فِي عَصْرِهِ بَيْنَ أَمْصَارٍ وَبُلْدَانِ
This is glory imperishable, its survival
Despite succession of peoples and eras
لَمَّا رَمَتْ كُلَّ تَانِي الشَّوْطِ مُمْتَنِعٍ
بِسَابِقِينَ إِلَى الغَايَاتِ شُجْعَانِ
Egypt’s history and Ramesses its gem
A strand of pearls, threaded and arranged
أَلا نَرَى فِي بَقَايَا الصَّرْحِ كَيْفَ مَضَوْا
بِأَوْجِهٍ بَادِيَاتِ البِشْرِ غُرَّانِ
None similar adorns glory’s diadems from antiquity
A glittering diadem encompassing all themes
وَكَيْفَ عَادُوا وَ رَمْسِيسٌ مُقَدَّمُهُمْ
إِلَى الرُّبُوعِ بِأَوْسَاقٍ وَغِلْمَانِ
In the inscription, lessons for the learned inscribed
In decisive, eloquent verses
فَبَعْدَ أنْ صَالَ بَيْنَ المَالِكِينَ بِهِمْ
صَارَ الكَبِيرَ المُعَلَّى بَيْنَ أَوْثَانِ
They descended as images and emerged as walls
In a coffer of pillars and edifices
بالأَمْسِ يُدْنِيهِ قُرْبَانٌ لآلِهَةٍ
وَاليَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِ أَرْبَابٌ بِقُرْبَانِ
They tantalized nations who drew from them
Fundaments of regimes and religions
إِنْ يَغْدُ رَبَّهُمُ الأَعْلَى فَلا عَجَبٌ
هَلْ مِنْ نِظَامٍ بِلا شَمْسٍ لأَكْوَانِ
And from its adornments, every grace was derived
Without exception for Greek or Roman
جَهَالَةٌ وَلَّدَتْ فِيهَا قَرَائِحُهُمْ
ضُرُوبَ نَحْتٍ وَتَصْوِيرٍ وَبُنْيَانِ
This is an ancient abode wherein perfection still thrives
Despite all it now lacks
مِمَّا لَوِ اسْتَطْلَعَ الرَّانِي نَفَائِسَهُ
لَمَا انْقَضَى عَجَدُ المُسْتِطْلِعِ الرَّانِي
I performed pilgrimage, and due to its enduring, noble lineage
Each glance revealed a charm to the beholder
فِي كُلِّ مُنْكَشِفٍ كَنْزٌ وَمُسْتَتِرٍ
مَظِنَّةٌ لِخَبَايَا ذَاتِ أَثْمَانِ
Time has continually folded and spread it
Splendid, its elongated colonnade
آيَاتُ مَقْدِرَةٍ جَلَّتْ دَقَائِقُهَا
شَأَى بِهَا كُلَّ قَوْمٍ قَوْمُ هَامَانِ
In the etchings, signs for the knowledgeable are written
Wise verses, cogent and clear
تَقَادَمَ العُصُرُ الخَالِي بِهَا وَلَهَا
تِمُّ الجَدِيدَيْنِ مِنْ حِذْقٍ وَإِتْقَانِ
They materialized as depictions and emerged as facades
In a codex of columns and walls
لَمْ يَعْتَوِرْ مَجْدَهَا مَهْدُومُ أَرْوِقَةٍ
وَلَمْ يُذِلْ فَنَّهَا مَهْدُودُ أَرْكَانِ
They have confounded nations, from which they ignited
Sparks to kindle principles of law and faith
وَرَاضَ كُلَّ هَوْلِ بِهَا حَرشدٍ
دُمىً تَهَاوِيلُهَا آيَاتُ إِحْسَانِ
And from its elegance, every ornament has been tapped
Unstinting toward Greek or Roman
وَزَادَ رَوْعَتَهَا أَنْقَاضُ آلِهَةٍ
فِيهَا حَوَانٍ عَلَى أَنْقَاضِ تِيجَانِ
This is Egypt’s glory, and Ramesses its gem
A strand of pearls threaded on a string
سُجُودُ مَا كَانَ مَسْجُوداً لَهُ عِظَةٌ
فِي نَفْسِ كُلِّ لبِيبٍ ذَاتِ أَشْجَانِ
None similar graces glory’s tiaras from of old
A glittering tiara encompassing every title
وَرُبُّ رُزْءٍ بِآثَارٍ أَشَدَّ أَسىً
مِنْهُ مُلِمّاً بِأَشْخَاصٍ وَأَعْيَانِ
وَالتَّاجُ أَشْجَى إِذَا مَا انْفَضَّ عَنْ صَنَمٍ
مِنْهُ إِذَا مَا هَوَى عَنْ رأَْسِ إِنْسَانِ
بَيْتٌ عَتِيقٌ يُرَى فِيهِ الكَمَالُ عَلَى
مَا شَابَهُ الآنَ مِنْ أَعْرَاضِ نُقْصَانِ
حَجَجْتُهُ وَبِهِ مِنْ طُولِ مُدَّتِهِ
وَفَضْلِ جِدَّتِهِ لِلطَّرْفِ حُسْنَانِ
مَا زَالَ وَالدَّهْرُ يَطْوِيهِ وَيَنْشُرُهُ
يُزْهَى جَلالاً رُوَاقَاهُ المَدِيدَانِ
فِي النَّقْشِ مِنْهُ لأَهْلِ الذِّكْرِ قَدْ كُتِبَتْ
آيَاتٌ ذِكْرٍ بِإِحْكَامٍ وَتِبْيَانِ
تَنَزَّلَتْ صُوَراً وَاسْتُكْمِلَتْ سُوَراً
فِي مُصْحَفٍ مِنْ دِعَامَاتٍ وَجُدْرَانِ
شَاقَتْ بِفِتْنَتِهَا الأَقْوَامَ فَاقْتَبَسُوا
مِنْهَا أُصُولَ حُكُومَاتٍ وَأَدْيَانِ
وَمِنْ حُلاهَا استَمَدُّوا كُلَّ تَحْلِيَةٍ
بِلا مُحَاشَاةِ إِغْرِيقٍ وَ رُومَانِ
هَذَا هُوَ المَجْدُ نَفْنَى وَالبَقَاءُ لَهُ
عَلَى تَعَاقُبِ أَجيالٍ وَأَزْمَانِ
تَارِيخُ مِصْرٍ وَ رَمْسِيسٌ فَريدَتُهُ
عِقْدٌ مِنَ الدُّرِّ مَنْظُومٌ بِعِقْيَانِ
مَا مِثْلُهُ فِي طُرُوسِ الفَخْرِ مِنْ قِدَمٍ
طِرْسٌ مِنَ الفَخْرِ أَوْعَى كُلَّ عُنْوَانِ
