ما شِمتُ برقاً بَدا مِن ثَغرها وَسَنا

ما شِمتُ برقاً بَدا مِن ثَغرها وَسَنا

إِلا جفت مُقلتي في حبِّها وَسَنا

إِلا جفت مُقلتي في حبِّها وَسَنا

Never did I behold lightning appear from her lips and shine

Whenever I saw a flash of lightning from her smile and teeth

without my eye forsaking sleep for love of her.

My eyelids would shut in love for her and teeth

وَلا أَراد عذولي حبسَ راحلتي

وَلا أَراد عذولي حبسَ راحلتي

إِلا لَها صَبوتي قَد أَطلقت رَسنا

إِلا لَها صَبوتي قَد أَطلقت رَسنا

Nor did my reproacher seek to hold back my riding camel

And if my camel wanted to stop its pace

without my passion having already loosened its rein.

For her sake I'd release its reins to gallop faster

فَكَيفَ يُطمَعُ في السلوان مِن دنَفٍ

فَكَيفَ يُطمَعُ في السلوان مِن دنَفٍ

يَرى قَبيحَ الجَفا مِنها له حسنا

يَرى قَبيحَ الجَفا مِنها له حسنا

How, then, can a lovesick man be expected to forget his love,

So how can one whose face is ugly hope for tenderness

who sees the ugliness of her coldness toward him as beauty?

When from her he only sees harshness as sweetness

وَقَد أَبَحت دَمي في دين عشقتِها

وَقَد أَبَحت دَمي في دين عشقتِها

لطرفها الناعس المَكحول حين رَنا

لطرفها الناعس المَكحول حين رَنا

And I have permitted my blood to be shed, in the creed of loving her,

She made me sacrifice my soul in love for her

by her languid, kohl-darkened eye when it gazed.

For her sleepy, kohl-lined eyes when they were tender

وَإِنَّها مِنهُ في حلّ وَلَيسَ على

وَإِنَّها مِنهُ في حلّ وَلَيسَ على

أَلحاظها قَوَدٌ فيمَن بِها اِفتَتَنا

أَلحاظها قَوَدٌ فيمَن بِها اِفتَتَنا

And indeed she is absolved of it, and there is no

And she was gentle with me, not harsh

blood-retribution upon her glances for anyone bewitched by them.

Upon her glances there’s no fire for those who adore her

آليت لا أَنثني عَن وَصف قامتها

آليت لا أَنثني عَن وَصف قامتها

إِلا إِلى عادل أَولى بحسن ثَنا

إِلا إِلى عادل أَولى بحسن ثَنا

I have sworn not to turn aside from describing her stature,

I decided not to stop describing her stature

save toward a just ruler more deserving of fine praise.

Unless to one fairer to beautifully describe her

هُوَ العَزيز خديوي مصر ناصرها

هُوَ العَزيز خديوي مصر ناصرها

في طالع لِلعُلا بِالسَعد قَد قُرِنا

في طالع لِلعُلا بِالسَعد قَد قُرِنا

He is the mighty one, the Khedive of Egypt, her champion,

He is the mighty Khedive of Egypt, its victor

under an ascendant of glory already conjoined with good fortune.

Whose rising star shines with good fortune

هُوَ المَليك الَّذي مِن راحَتيهِ جَرَت

هُوَ المَليك الَّذي مِن راحَتيهِ جَرَت

في كُل واد مِن الدُنيا بحارُ غِنى

في كُل واد مِن الدُنيا بحارُ غِنى

He is the king from whose two palms have flowed

He is the king from whose comfort rivers

seas of wealth through every valley of the world.

Of wealth flowed in every valley of the world

هُوَ الَّذي فازَ في تَدبير دَولته

هُوَ الَّذي فازَ في تَدبير دَولته

مِن حسن تَوفيق مَولاه بِنيل مُنى

مِن حسن تَوفيق مَولاه بِنيل مُنى

He is the one who succeeded in governing his realm,

He is the one who succeeded in governing his nation

through his Lord's gracious aid, in attaining his wishes.

By the good favor of his Lord in attaining his wishes

هَذا الَّذي جاءَ يَسعى بِالنَجاح إِلى

هَذا الَّذي جاءَ يَسعى بِالنَجاح إِلى

عَلياه عام جَديد يُسعد الوَطَنا

عَلياه عام جَديد يُسعد الوَطَنا

This is he for whom there came, hastening with success toward

This is he who comes seeking success

his lofty station, a new year that gladdens the homeland.

For its heights in a new year that brings joy to the nation

وَالمَجد وافاه بِالبُشرى يؤرخه

وَالمَجد وافاه بِالبُشرى يؤرخه

عامٌ بنصرة إِسماعيل قَد حسنا

عامٌ بنصرة إِسماعيل قَد حسنا

And glory came to him with glad tidings, marking the year's date:

And glory reached him with the good news dated

A year has grown fair through Ismail's triumph.

A year of Ismail's victory made beautiful