وَمَا مِصْرُ عُمْرَ الدَّهْرِ إِلَّا غَنِيمَةٌ

لِمَنْ حَلَّ مَغْنَاهَا وَنَهْبٌ مُقَسَّمُ

Egypt's lifespan is but spoils

For those who seized its riches and shared plunder,

تَدَاوَلَهَا الْمُلاكُ مِنْ كُلِّ أُمَّةٍ

وَنَالَ بِهَا حَظّاً فَصِيحٌ وَأَعْجَمُ

Passed down through every nation,

Grasped alike by eloquent and mute.

فَمَا أَهْلُهَا إِلَّا عَبِيدٌ لِمَنْ سَطَا

وَلا رَيْعُهَا إِلَّا لِمَنْ شَاءَ مَغْنَمُ

Its people are but slaves belonging

To those whose hand holds sway,

عِدَادُكَ فِي سِلْكِ الْبَرِيَّةِ خِزْيَةٌ

وَدَعْوَاكَ حَقَّ الْمُلْكِ أَدْهَى وَأَعْظَمُ

Its yield but for those who chose to reap.

Your multitudes are but a herd,

لَقَدْ هَانَتِ الدُّنْيَا عَلَى النَّاسِ عِنْدَمَا

رَأَوْكَ بِهَا فِي مُلْكِ يُوسُفَ تَحْكُمُ

Your claim to rule but vainglory and pretense.

When you ruled, the world was cheapened

فَإِنْ تَكُ أَوْلَتْكَ الْمَقَادِيرُ حُكْمَهَا

فَقَدْ حَازَهَا مِنْ قَبْلُ عَبْدٌ مُزَنَّمُ

In the eyes of men.

If fate allows you to rule once more

وَشَتَّانَ عَبْدٌ بِالْمَحَجَّةِ نَاطِقٌ

وَحُرٌّ إِذَا نَاقَشْتَهُ الْقَوْلَ أَغْتَمُ

A slave has held that power before.

Vast the gulf between a bondsman who can speak

فَهَذَا أَذَلَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُعَزَّزٌ

وَذَاكَ أَعَزَّ الْمُلْكَ وَهْوَ مُهَضَّمُ

And a freeman, muted when engaged.

One debased a kingdom yet mighty,

فَمَنْ شَكَّ فِي حُكْمِ الْقَضَاءِ فَهَذِهِ

جَلِيَّةُ مَا شَاءَ الْقَضَاءُ الْمُحَتَّمُ

The other empowered a humbled realm.

Let none doubt the judgment of fate.