جَلَوْتَ المُنَى أَيُّهَا المَوْسِمُ
وَزَانَتْ ضُحَى شَمْسِكَ الأَنْجُمُ
You have reached the pinnacle, O season,
And dawn’s sun makes the stars fade.
وزَادَتْ رِيَاضُ الحِمَى نَضْرَةً
أَمَالِيدُ عَنْ زَهَرٍ تَبْسِمُ
The meadows’ greenery increased,
Smiling buds of flowers.
أَقَرَّ النَّوَاظِرُ تَهْذِيبُهَا
وَتَدْرِيبُهَا المُونِقُ المُحْكَمُ
The gazes are soothed by their grooming
And precise, solid training.
صِغَارٌ تُقَوَّمُ أَعْطَافُهُمْ
لِيَنْمُوا صِلاباً كَمَا قُوِّمُوا
Youngsters, their posture corrected
To grow, as they were directed.
تَرَاهُمْ عَلَى دَرَجَاتِ الصِّبَا
كَمُخْتَلِفِ الدُّرِّ إِذْ يُنْظَمُ
You see them at youth’s varying stages
Like assorted pearls when threaded.
يُعَلِّمُهُمْ مِنْ مِرَاسِ الحَيَا
ةِ أُولُو الذِّكْرِ وَالخُبْرِ مَا عُلِّمُوا
Taught by the wise and experienced
What they themselves were taught.
فَيَمْضَونُ فِي خَوْضِهِمْ لاعِبِي
نَ إِذَا قَوَّضُوا وَإِذَا خَيَّمُوا
Frolicking as they train,
Whether packing camp or raising it.
وَيَضْحَكُ مِنْ خُشُبٍ شُرَّعٍ
بِأَيْدِيهِمْ الرُّمْحُ وَالمِخْذَمُ
A crafted wood laughs
With spear and sword held by their hands.
لِيَهْنِئْهمُ اللًّهْوُ لا عَيْبَ فِي
هِ يَشُوبُ لصَفَاءَ وَلا مَأْثَمُ
May God let them enjoy with no fault
Tainting their candor or causing harm.
يُذَكِّي وَيَشُدُّ القُوَى
وَمَا فِي عَوَاقِبِهِ مَنْدَمُ
It invigorates and strengthens their might
With no regrets in the aftermath.
فَتَنْمُو الجُسُومُ عَلَى صِحَّةٍ
وَتُكْفَى الخَلائِقُ مَا يُسْقِمُ
Thus bodies grow healthy and sound
As creatures’ needs are readily found.
وَتُبْنَى لأوْطَانِهِمْ أُمَّةٌ
أَبَرُّ بِهَا وَلَهَا أَرْحَمُ
And for their nations is built a community
More righteous, more merciful to them.
جُنُودٌ وَلَكِنْ لِتُرْعَى الحُقُو
قُ عَلَى يَدِهِمْ وَيُصَانَ الدَّمُ
An army - but to safeguard rights
By their hands, protecting lives.
كُفَاةٌ لأَنْفُسِهِمْ بَيِّنٌ
لَهُمْ مَا يَحِلُّ وَمَا يَحْرُمُ
Self-sufficient, clearly aware
Of what is unlawful and what is fair.
إِذَا اسْتُنجِدُوا أَنْجَدُوا المُسْتَضَا
مَ وَلَوْ كُلِّفُوا جَلَلاً أَقْدَمُوا
If asked for help, they promptly respond
And if tasked, bravely take it on.
وَمَهْمَا تُجَشِّمْهُمُ الوَاجِبَا
تُ مِنَ المَطْلَبِ الصَّعْبِ لا يُحْجِمُوا
However harsh the demanding
Duties, they do not refrain.
فَهُمْ كَالِثُوهَا وَحُفَّاظُهَا
وَرُوَّادُهَا حَيْثُمَا يَمَّمُوا
The stalwart backing it, its wards
Wherever they turn their aims.
غَداً يُسْفِرُ الدَّهْرُ عَنْ حَالَةٍ
وَهُمْ فِي رِجَالاتِهَا مَنْ هُمُ
Tomorrow time will reveal a state
And their stature in its men.
وَيُحْمَدُ فِي الشَّوْطِ تَبْرِيزُهُمْ
إِذَا مَا جَلا نَقْعُهُ عَنْهُمُ
And their distinctness in the stretch applauded
When its turbidity clears off them.
قُصَارَاكَ مِنْ نُخْبَةٍ فِي البَنِي
نَ تُحَبُّ وَمِنْ صَفْوَةٍ تُكْرَمُ
My dear ones, a choice selection
Among youth, loved and respected.
فَكَيْفَ بِهَا وَهْيَ مَعْرُوضَةٌ
وَ فَارُوقُ كَشَّافُهَا الأَعْظَمُ
So how about them, while displayed
With Fu’ad the greatest overseer.
تَسِيرُ وَأَعْلامُهَا مُومِئَاتٌ
إِلَى أَيِّهَا البَطَلُ المُعْلَمُ
It marches, its banners gesture
To which hero, O you marked!
إِلَى الفَرْعِ تَنْمِيهِ أَزْكَى الأُصُو
لِ وَيَنْصُرُهُ الرَّأْيُ وَاللَّهْذَمُ
To the branch you tend, the finest roots
And supportive minds and arms.
فَخَارٌ لِمِصْرَ بِشِبْلِ العَرِي
نِ يَشِبُّ وَيَكْلأُهُ الضَّيْغَمُ
Egypt prides in its youth mature
As hardship tests and perfects them.
مَرُوضاً عَلَى الوَثَبَاتِ الكِبَا
رِ وَمُهْجَةُ مِصْرَ لَهُ تَرْأَمُ
Ready for grand leaps,
And Egypt’s blaze for them glows.
فَأَوَّلُ مَرْقَاتِهِ ذِرْوَةٌ
وَغَيْرُ الذُّرَى مَا لَهُ سُلَّمُ
The first steps are a pinnacle,
None can climb but them.
لَكَ اللهُ فِي النَّشْءِ يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ
يُطَاعُ وَيَا خَيْرَ مَنْ يُخْدَمُ
God be with you in growth, finest
To obey and finest to serve.
أَسَرَّكَ مِنْ قَوْمِكَ المُخْلِصِي
نَ وَلاءٌ تَبَيَّنْتَهُ مِنْهُمُ
You were bound by a loyalty
You saw sincere from them
وَهَزَّتْكَ هِزَّةُ تِلْكَ الجَوَا
نِحِ إِذْ تَتَوَلَّى وَإِذْ تُقْسِمُ
And moved by that swaying
When pledging and when adjuring
وَرَاقَتْكَ بَهْجَةُ تِلْكَ الدُّمُو
عِ بِمَرْأَى أبٍ لابْنِهِ يَلْثَمُ
And pleased by that cooing
Of a father to his son bussing.
سَلِمْتَ مَلاذاً لأَبْنَائِهِمْ
فَأَسْنَى الأَمَانِيِّ أَنْ تَسْلَمُوا
You became their children’s refuge—
May you and they safety attain
وَأَنْ تَظْفَرُوا فِي كِفَاحِ العُلَى
وَأَلاَّ يَفُوتَكُمُ مَغْنَمُ
And prevail in the supreme strife
Lest the booty escape you!
تَبَوَّأْتَهُ مَنْصِباً لا يَقُو
مُ بِأَعْبَائِهِ المُبَشِّرُ المُؤْدِمُ
You assumed a position whose burdens
No herald of good tidings can withstand.
فَلَمْ تَسْمُ عَفْواً إِلَى أَوْجُهِ
كَمَا شَاءَ مَحْتِدُكَ الأَفْخَمُ
Thus no whim opened doors for you
As your splendid mentor desired.
وَلَكِنْ دَعَاكَ إِلَيْهِ النُّبُو
غُ وَأَيَّدَهُ مَجْدُك المُلْزِمُ
But merit called you there seconded
By consistent glory.
كَمَالُ حِجىً فِي اقْتِبَالِ الصِّبَا
تَبَارَكَ وَاهِبُكَ الأَكْرَمُ
The perfect qualification to embrace valor
Blessed is He who granted you it!
وَخُلْقٌ رَعَى حُسْنَ تَثْقِيفِهِ
مُثَقِّفُكَ الأَرْشَدُ الأَحْزَمُ
And manners learned the art of grooming
With the wisest and most judicious groomer.
مَلِيكٌ عَلَى قَدَرِ الحَادِثَا
تِ إِذَا عَظُمَتْ شَأْنُهُ يَعْظُمُ
A natural leader for the moments’ needs,
His greatness grows as affairs intensify.
لَهُ إِنْ يَشَأْ نَقْضُ مَا أَبْرَمَتْ
وَلا يَنْقُضُ الدَّهْرُ مَا يُبْرِمُ
He may void prior commitments,
While time cannot void his.
قَوِيُّ المَشِيئَةِ نَفَّاذُهَا
بِمَاضٍ مِنَ العَزْمِ لا يُثْلَمُ
Strong in resolve, his decisions implemented,
With unwavering purpose.
مَتِينُ الحَصَاةِ طَوِيلُ الأَنَا
ةِ إِذَا سَئِمَ الجِدُّ لا يَسْأَمُ
Firm in calamities, tireless in vigilance,
When hardship wearies, he wearies not.
نَصِيرُ العُلُومِ نَصِيرُ الفُنُو
نِ مُعَنَّى بِأَبْكَارِهَا مُغْرَمُ
The helper of sciences, the nurturer of arts
Passionate for them from the start.
يُرَى مِنْهُ فِي كُلِّ مَعْنىً طَرِي
فٍ عَلَى كُلِّ مَفْخَرَةٍ قَيِّمُ
From him can be seen in every meaning
Merit toward each pride held dear.
وَيَبْغِي لأُمَّتِهِ خَيْرَ مَا
يَرُومُ الحَكِيمُ الَّذِي يَحْكُمُ
For his community’s good what he aspires
As a ruler bound by wisdom to observe.
فَيَنْفَعُهَا رَأْيُهُ المُجْتَنَى
وَيَنْفَعُهَا غَرْسُهُ المُطْعِمُ
Thus his selective view benefits,
And his fertile planting benefits.
وَيَبْنِي الصُّرُوحَ لِعَليَائِهَا
بِنَاءً عَلَى الدَّهْرِ لا يَهْدَمُ
He builds enduring edifices for its sublimity
On foundations time cannot destroy.
فَفِي كُلِّ مُنْتَجَعٍ لِلرُّق
يِّ لَهُ مَعْهَدٌ وَلَهُ مُعْلَمُ
Thus every preserve for sophistication
Has an institution or monument for him.
تَكَادُ عَلَى مُتَوَالِي الفُصُو
لِ مِنَ العَامِ أَنْوَاؤُهُ تَثْجِمُ
In successive years, his gifts
Almost burden registers’ books.
لَوِ اسْتُنَّ فِي الجُودِ مَا سَنَّهُ
لَمَا كَانَ فِي بَلَدٍ مُعْدَمُ
Had generosity’s habits he laid down been counted,
Nowhere would they have been absent.
عَوَارِفُ تَمْلأُ رَحْبَ الدِّيَا
رِ فَكَيْفَ يَعَدِّدُهَا المِرْقَمُ
Grace upon grace fill vast lands,
So how can a pen enumerate!
يَتِيهُ البَيَانُ بِأَوْصَافِهَا
وَيُوشِكُ أَنْ يُفْصِحَ المُعْجِمُ
Eloquence wanders describing them
And dictionaries nearly speak out.
إِلَى خُطَطٍ فِي العُلَى لَمْ تَدَعْ
مَجَالاً يُلِمُّ بِهِ اللُّوَّمُ
To supreme schemes unmatched,
Leaving no room for blamers to blame.
وَمِنْ آيَةِ الفَضْلِ أَنَّ الأُولَى
أَبَوْهَا عَلَيْهِ بِهَا سَلَّمُوا
And it is telling of merit
The early generations endorsed them.
فَلَوْ قَدَرَ السَّلَفِ الأَمْجَدُو
نَ لَدَانَ لِمُحْدَثِهَا الأَقْدَمُ
Had ancestors gauged their splendid
Novelty, they would have ceded theirs.
أَمَوْلايَ هَذِي قَوَافٍ سَمَتْ
إِلَيْكَ وَلَمْ تُغْرِهَا الأَنْعُمُ
These, O King, are offerings of allegiance
That aspired to you, not tempted by favors.
جَوَاهِرُ مِنْ مَنْجَمٍ فَاخِرٍ
تَأَتَّتْ وَأَنْتَ لَهَا المَنْجَمُ
Gems from a splendid gemstone mine
Came, and you are their gemstone.
فَمَا فِي القِلادَةِ غَيْرُ الفَرِي
دِ وَلا فِي الأَشِعَّةِ مَا يُتْهَمُ
On the necklace, naught but unique.
Among the rays, no blemish seen.
وَمَا غي الهَدِيَّةِ عَارِيَّةٌ
بِهَا مَنْ يُقَدِّمُهَا يُوصَمُ
Nor in the gift, any thing held back
By the giver to be blamed.
جَلا لَكَ شِعْرِي بِهَا صُورَةً
عَلَى الدَّهْرِ تَزْهُو وَلا تَهْرَمُ
My poetry immortalized them as a picture
Prevailing over time without decay.
وَمَا أَنَا مَنْ يَعْتَفِي مَانِحاً
وَبِي مِنْ غِنَى النَّفْسِ مَا يَعْصِمُ
I am not one who shows off his gift
As my soul’s richness protects me from that.
عَلَى أَنَّهَا سَاعَةٌ لِلسُّرُو
رِ أُتِيحَتْ وَصَدْرِي بِهَا مُفْعَمُ
Though it was a chance for elation
That my heart thereby brimmed over.
فَهَنَّأْتُ رَبَّ الحِمَى بِابْنِهِ
وَأَرْسَلْتَ فِكْرِي كَمَا يُلْهَمُ
So I congratulated the patron with his son,
Sending my thoughts as inspired.
وَأَنْطَقْتُ قَلْبِي بِمَا صَانَهُ
زَمَاناً فَلَمْ يَبْتَذِلهُ الفَمُ
And I spoke my heart’s contents—
Long kept discreetly inside.
وَلائِي وَلائِي فَأِنْ أَنْكَرَتْ
هُ أُنَاسٌ فَإِنِّي بِهِ أَعْلَمُ
My loyalty—though some denied it—
I am fully cognizant of.
وَأَدْنَى هُمُومِي أَخَّرُوا
مِنَ القَوْلِ فِيهِ وَمَا قَدَّمُوا
And I cared least to defend it, advance it,
Or give precedence to speaking thereof.
فَدُمْ لِلسَّمَاحَةِ يَا شَمْسَهَا
وَدُمْ لِلنَّدَى أَيُّهَا الخِضْرِمُ
So go on generously, O sun of magnanimity,
Go on refreshingly, O ever-youthful one.
وَعَاشَ ابْنُكَ المُفْتَدَى يَقْتَفِي
أَبَاهُ وَفِي ظِلِّهِ يَنْعَمُ
Long live your redeeming son emulating you
And in your shade blissful!
