سَلِ المَعَارِفَ إِذْ كَانَتْ زِزَارَتُهَا

مُنْدَكَّةً خَاذَلَتْ أَجْزَاءهَا الدُّعُمُ

Ask the learned ones when their glory

Was shaken and its parts failed the pillars

فَرُبَّ صَرْحٍ مَشِيدٍ لِلْبِلادِ بِهَا

أَعَادَهُ حَيْثُ أَمْسَى وَهْوَ مُنْهَدِمُ

For many a palace built for the city through them

He rebuilt where it had fallen into ruins

نَجَتْ كَرَامَةُ مِصْرٍ مِنْ مَهَانَتِهَا

فِيهَا وَشُرِّفَ ذَاكَ المَنْصِبُ السَّنِمُ

The dignity of Egypt was saved from its humiliation

Through it and that sublime position was ennobled

وَرُدَّ عَنْ سَرَفٍ فِي الْغِيِّ مُغْتَصِبٌ

وَصُدَّ عَنَّ سَرَفٍ فِي البَغْيِ مًحْتَكِمُ

And one exceeding proper bounds as a wrongful possessor was turned back

And one exceeding proper bounds as an arbitrator was barred

وَصُوِّرُ النُّجُبُ الأَحْرَارُ فِي مُثُلٍ

صِيغَتْ قَبْلَهُ الأَتْبَاعُ وَالْحَسمُ

And the noble freemen were pictured in ideals

The followers and the decisive were shaped before it