يَا شَاعِرَ النِّيلِ جَارِ النِّيلَ بِالشِّيَمِ
وَحَاكَ أَطْيَارَهُ بِالشَّدْوِ وَالنَّغَمِ
O poet of the Nile, neighbor of the Nile in virtue,
Who wove its birds in song and melody
فِي ضِفَّتَيْهِ وَفِي تَغْرِيدِ صَادِحِهِ
مَا فِي نَظِيمِكَ بَيْنَ الْوَحْيِ وَالكَلمِ
On its banks and in the call of its raging torrents
Is what is between inspiration and speech in your writing,
وَفِي مَعَانِيكَ مِنْ أَرْوَاحِ جَنَّتِهِ
أَشْفَى النُّسَيْمَاتِ لِلأَرْوَاحِ وَالنَّسَمِ
And in its meanings are spirits from its paradise,
The most wholesome breezes for the soul and the breath.
شِعْرٌ كَأَنَّ مَفِيضَ الخَيْرِ سَالَ بِهِ
عَلَى النُّهَى سَيلَهُ فِي القَاعِ وَالأَكَمِ
Poetry as if the outpouring of good overflowed with it
On the slopes, its flood in the lowlands and the dunes.
كِلاهُمَا مُخْصِبٌ قَحْلاً فَمُخْرِجُهُ
حَقْلاً وَمُؤْنِسُهُ فِي وَحْشَةِ الدِّيَمِ
Both are fertile, its outlet a field,
And its friend in the desolation of the flat land.
يَطْغَى فَيَغْشَى عَبُوسَ الْوَجْهِ أَمْرَدَهُ
وَيَنْجَلِي عَنْ عِذَارٍ فِيهِ مُبْتَسِمِ
It overflows to cover the frowning face of the rocky hills
And clarity emerges from clouds therein smiling.
بِذَلِكَ الشِّعْرِ صِفْ مِصْراً وَأُمَّتَهَا
صِفْ كُلَّ مَعْنَىً بِهَا كَالنَّافِحِ الشَّبِمِ
With that poetry describe Egypt and its nation,
Describe every sense therein seething forth.
صِفْ ذَلِكَ اللُّطْفَ لَوْ عَزَّتْ بِهِ أُمَمٌ
يَوْماً لَعَزَّتْ بِهِ مِصْرٌ عَلَى الأُمَمِ
Describe that grace which if nations prided in one day
Egypt would pride in over the nations.
صِفْ ذَلِكَ الأُنْسَ يَجْرِي مِنْ مَنَابِعِهِ
عَذْبَ المَنَاهِلِ مَبْذُولاً لِكُلِّ ظَمِي
Describe that intimacy flowing from its springs
Sweet waters offered for all the thirsty.
صِفْ ذَلِكَ الرِّفْقِ يَقْضِي فِي تَرَقْرُقِهِ
مَا لَيْسَ رِقَاقُ السُّمْرِ وَالخُذُمِ
Describe that gentleness which in its softness
Fulfills what is not the softness of silk and plush.
صِفْ مَا يَشَاءُ جَمَالُ الطَّبْعِ مِنْ دَعَةٍ
وَمَا يَشَاءُ حَلالُ النَّفْسِ مِنْ كَرَمِ
Describe what the beauty of nature wills in charm
And what the halal of the soul wills in nobility.
تِلْكَ الْخَلائِقُ لا يَجْلُو رَوَائِعَهَا
نَظْمٌ كَنَظْمِكَ مِنْ جَزْلٍ وَمُنْسَجِمِ
These traits are not revealed in splendor
By a rhyme like yours of gravity and harmony.
إِنِّي أَوَدُّ لَهَا وَصْفاً وَيَرْجِعُنِي
عَنْهُ قُصُورِي إِذَا حَثَّ الْهَوَى قَلَمِي
I want for it a description but my inadequacy brings me back
When passion spurs on my pen.
مَن لِي بِنَظْمِكَ أَسْتَدْنِي بِمُعْجِزِهِ
أَقْصَى مَرَامٍ لآمَالِي عَلَى هِمَمِي
Who can lend me your rhyme by whose miracle
I take the utmost hopes upon my resolves?
حَمْداً لِمِصْرَ وَإِطْرَاءً لأُمَّتِهَا
عَنْ صَادِقٍ فِيهُمَا عَالٍ عَنِ التُّهَمِ
Thanks to Egypt and praise to its nation
From a sincere one high above suspicion toward them.
مِصْرُ الْحَضَارَةُ وَالآثَارُ شَاهِدَةٌ
مِصْرُ السَّمَاحَةُ مِصْرُ المَجْدُ مِنْ قِدَمِ
Egypt is civilization - relics bear witness -
Egypt is tolerance, Egypt is glory of old.
مِصْرُ العَزِيزَةُ إِنْ جَارَتْ وَإِنْ عَدَلَتْ
مِصْرُ الْحَبِيبَةُ إِنْ نَرحَلْ وَإِنْ نُقِمِ
Beloved Egypt whether it draws near or keeps its distance,
Dear Egypt whether we stay or depart.
نَحْنَ الضيُوفَ عَلَى رَحْبٍ وَمَكْرُمَةٍ
مِنْهَا وَإِنَّا لَحَفَّاظُونَ لِلذِّمَمِ
We are guests of its hospitality and honor
Therefrom though we closely keep trusts.
جِئْنَا حِمَاهَا وَعِشْنَا آمِنِينَ بِهِ
مُمَتَّعِينَ كَأَنَّ العَيْشَ فِي حُلمِ
We came under its protection and lived safely by it
In comfort as though life were but a dream.
فَأَيُّنَا قَابَلَ النُّعْمَى بِسَيِّئَةٍ
فَإِنَّنَا مُلْزِمُوهُ أَنْكَرَ الْحُرَمِ
So who of us replayed favor with wrong?
We obligate him as violating sanctity.
وَمَنْ يَنَلْهُ بإِيذَاءٍ فَإِنَّ بِنَا
ضِعْفَيْهِ مِنْ أَثَرِ الإيذَاءِ وَالأَلَمِ
And whoever attains it with harm, verily in us
Is double from impact of harm and pain.
لَكِنَّ قَوْمِي أَبْرَارُ القُلُوبِ بِهِ
دَعِ المُرِيبَ الَّذِي يَدْعُو إِلَى وَهَمِ
But my people have innocent hearts therein
Leave the suspicious one who calls to illusion.
لا بَارَكَ اللهُ فِي سَاعٍ بِتَفْرِقَةٍ
بَيْنَ الصَّفَيْنِ وَالْجَارَيْنِ مِنْ أَممِ
May God not bless one who sows division
Between the two rows of kinsman and neighbor nations.
يَا حَافِظَ الْخَيْرِ كُنْ فِي عَقْدِ وُدِّهِمَا
فَرِيدَةَ العِقْدِ يَلْبَثُ غَيْرَ مُنْفَصِمِ
O Keeper of Good be in the knot of their amity
A unique knot persisting unsevered.
أَكْشِفْ بِحَزْمِكَ أَسْتَارَ الْحَفِيظَةِ عَنْ
فَخٍّ تُصادُ بِهِ الأَعْرابُ لِلْعَجَمِ
Reveal with your wisdom the screens of the crafty one
From a trap the nomads use to catch the foreigners.
أَلشَّاعِرُ الْحَقُّ مَنْ يَجْلُو الشُّعُورُ لَهُ
شَمْساً مِنَ الْوَحْيِ فِي دَاجٍ مِنَ الظُّلَمِ
The true poet's who inspiration makes radiant for him
A sun amid darkness from revelation.
بَيْنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالسُّوَاسِ نُصَّ لَهُ
مِنَ العُلَى مِنْبَرٌ لِلرَّأْيِ وَالحُكُمِ
Between the two prophets and advisors a platform
From the Most High is profiled for opinion and rule.
وَعَلَ أَيْسَرِ شَيْءٍ فِي مَحَامِدِهِ
تَجْوِيدُ قَوْلٍ مُقَفَّى اللَّفْظِ مُنْتَظِمِ
And for simpler things in his praises
Is the excellent phrasing of refined organized words.
فَخَارُهُ حَيْثُ يَلْقَى رَحْمَةً وَهُدًى
وَحَيْثُ يَنْهَى عَنِ الأَهْوَاءِ وَالنقمِ
So his pride wherever he finds mercy and guidance
And where he deters from passions and vengeance,
وَحَيْثُ يَحْمِي الحِمَى مِنْ ضَلَّةٍ وأسًى
وَحَيْثُ يَدْعُو إِلَى الأَخْطَارِ وَالعِظَمِ
And where he protects the sanctuary from misguidance and misery
And where he calls to dangers and greatness.
هَذَا الَّذِي أَنْتَ يَا ابْنَ النِّيلِ فَاعِلُهُ
وَذَاكَ مَجْدُكَ مَجْدُ النِّيلِ وَالهَرَمِ
This which you O son of the Nile are its maker,
And that is your glory, the glory of the Nile and the pyramids.
