1. بِسنا مَولد الخديويْ سَعيدِ

    صاحب الطالع المُنيف السَعيدِ

    By the radiance of Khedive Sa‘id's birthday,

    Whose rising star is lofty and auspicious,

  2. أَشرقت في الهَنا بِقاعُ الصَعيدِ

    وَتَباهَت في عيده بسرورِ

    The lands of Upper Egypt shone with joy,

    And gloried in his festival with gladness.

  3. وَلهذا العَزيز بثَّت ثَناها

    حَيث نالت مِن المَعالي مُناها

    And to this exalted one they proclaimed their praise,

    For they had attained their wishes in lofty honors;

  4. وَصَفا أُنسَها وَزادَ سَناها

    وَأَضاءَت سماؤُها بِالبُدورِ

    And their delight was unclouded, and their radiance grew,

    And their sky shone with full moons.

  5. وَاِكتَسَت حلَّةَ البَها وَالمَسرّهْ

    وَاِزدَهَت بَهجَةً بِتلك المبرّهْ

    And they donned a robe of splendor and joy,

    And exulted in delight at that kindness;

  6. فَاِزدرت في بَهائها بِالمجرّهْ

    وَبِها أَزهرت شُموسُ الحبورِ

    So in their splendor they disdained the Milky Way,

    And within them the suns of gladness shone.

  7. وَبأرجائِها كُماة الجُنودِ

    أَصبَحَت بِالصُفوف تَحتَ البُنودِ

    And throughout their reaches, the troops' valiant warriors

    Stood in ranks beneath the banners,

  8. في اِنتِظام غدا فؤادُ الحَسودِ

    مِنهُ في شدّة العَنا وَالثبورِ

    In such order that the envious one's heart fell

    Because of it into grievous suffering and ruin.

  9. وَلِسانُ القِلاع في الحال هنَّى

    نَفسَ تِلكَ البقاع لكن تَمنَّى

    And the tongue of the forts at once congratulated

    The soul of those lands; yet the longing

  10. يا سَعيد الوَرى حَشاها المَعنَّى

    مِنكَ قُرباً عَلى ممرّ الدهور

    Of their anguished heart, O Sa‘id of mankind,

    Was for nearness to you throughout the ages.

  11. وَهِيَ مِن شَوقِها لرَكضِ الجِيادِ

    يَوم تَشريفها بِعيد الولادِ

    And in their longing for the galloping of steeds

    On the day they were honored with the birthday festival,

  12. تَرتَجي أَن يَعود قَبل المَعادِ

    رَغبةً فيكَ يا أَجلّ الصُدورِ

    They hope it will return before the appointed time,

    Out of yearning for you, O most exalted of dignitaries.

  13. فَأَجب سؤلَها وَقابل ببشرِ

    عرضَها يا عَزيزَ أَقطارِ مصرِ

    So answer their plea, and receive with a smile

    Their petition, O mighty lord of Egypt's lands.

  14. وَلها اسمح بِالأَمر في خَير عَصرِ

    بِكَ يَسمو عَلى جَميع العُصورِ

    And favor them with the decree in the finest age,

    Which through you rises above all ages.

  15. وَتنعم بِروض ملكٍ جَليلِ

    مَع شبل مؤيَّدٍ وَأَصيلِ

    And delight in the garden of a glorious kingdom,

    With a lion cub, strengthened and nobly born,

  16. ما لَهُ في ذَكائِهِ مِن مَثيلِ

    بَينَ أَخدانه حماةِ الثغورِ

    Who has no equal in his intelligence

    Among his companions, the guardians of the frontiers.

  17. وَابقَ معْهُ في دَولة داوريّهْ

    ساعياً في صلاح حال الرَعيهْ

    And remain with him in a royal realm,

    Striving to better the subjects' condition,

  18. فائِزاً بِالثناء بَين البَريهْ

    وافيَ الحظ في جَميع الأُمورِ

    Winning praise among humankind,

    Full of good fortune in all affairs.