سَعيدSa‘id حَباendowed مَصراًEgypt بِعَزمٍwith resolve وَهمةِand vigor
سَعيد حَبا مَصراً بِعَزمٍ وَهمةِ
وَرَأيٍand judgment وَتَدبيرand planning وَحَزمand firmness وَصَولةِand might
وَرَأيٍ وَتَدبير وَحَزم وَصَولةِ
Sa‘id endowed Egypt with resolve and vigor,
With judgment, planning, firmness, and might.
وَقامَand undertook لحفظto safeguard العالمينall people بِماwith what غَداhad become
وَقامَ لحفظ العالمين بِما غَدا
عَلَيهِincumbent upon him كَفَرضٍas an obligation واجبٍbinding لاnot كسنةas a recommended observance
عَلَيهِ كَفَرضٍ واجبٍ لا كسنة
He undertook to safeguard all people, fulfilling what had become
For him a binding duty, not an optional observance.
فَأَسسso he founded بِالتَقوىwith piety حُصوناًfortresses عَديدةًnumerous
فَأَسس بِالتَقوى حُصوناً عَديدةً
بِثَانيon the second of جَمادىJumada بَعدafter إِبداءoffering دَعوةa prayer
بِثَاني جَمادى بَعد إِبداء دَعوة
So, with piety, he founded numerous fortresses,
On the second of Jumada, after offering a prayer.
وَفيand at جانبthe side of الكوبريّthe bridge لاحَتappeared بروجهاtheir towers
وَفي جانب الكوبريّ لاحَت بروجها
عَلَيهاon them مَدارthe basis of الأَمنsecurity فيat كُلevery لحظةmoment
عَلَيها مَدار الأَمن في كُل لحظة
Beside the bridge their towers appeared;
Upon them security depends at every moment.
وَأَنفَقand he spent مِنfrom أَموالهhis wealth فيon بِنائِهاtheir construction
وَأَنفَق مِن أَمواله في بِنائِها
كُنوزاًtreasures تَعالَتrose عَنbeyond حِسابٍreckoning وَعدةand counting
كُنوزاً تَعالَت عَن حِسابٍ وَعدة
He spent from his wealth on their construction
Treasures beyond reckoning and counting.
كُنوزاًtreasures وَإِنand although جلّتthey were vast فَلَيسَتyet they were not جَسيمةgreat
كُنوزاً وَإِن جلّت فَلَيسَت جَسيمة
بِنسبةin comparison with حفظpreserving الملكthe realm مِنfrom شرِّthe evil of أُمةa nation
بِنسبة حفظ الملك مِن شرِّ أُمة
Treasures that, vast though they were, were not great
Compared with preserving the realm from a nation's evil.
فَقُلتso I said لَدىat وَضعthe laying of الأَساسthe foundation مُؤرخاًgiving a chronogram
فَقُلت لَدى وَضع الأَساس مُؤرخاً
سَعيدSa‘id بنيbuilt لِلجَيشfor the army أَأمنَthe safest قَلعةfortress
سَعيد بني لِلجَيش أَأمنَ قَلعة
At the laying of the foundation I spoke this chronogram:
“Sa‘id built for the army the safest fortress.”
وَلماand when عَلتrose أَركانهاits pillars وَتجّهزتand it was equipped
وَلما عَلت أَركانها وَتجّهزت
بِماwith what يَدفعrepels الأَعداءthe enemies عَناfrom us بهمةwith vigor
بِما يَدفع الأَعداء عَنا بهمة
When its pillars rose and it was equipped
With what would vigorously repel our enemies,
وَحصَّنتand fortified الأَبراجَthe towers مِنهاof it مَدافعٌcannons
وَحصَّنت الأَبراجَ مِنها مَدافعٌ
تَسوقpropel إلىtoward المَغرورthe presumptuous one أَثقَلthe heaviest كلةcannonball
تَسوق إلى المَغرور أَثقَل كلة
And cannons fortified its towers,
Driving the heaviest cannonball toward the presumptuous foe,
تَكفَّلtook responsibility مِنamong أَبطالthe heroes of مَصرEgypt بحفظهاfor guarding it
تَكفَّل مِن أَبطال مَصر بحفظها
رِجالmen لَهُمwho possess بِطشٌmight وَأَعظَمand the greatest سَطوةpower
رِجال لَهُم بِطشٌ وَأَعظَم سَطوة
Its guardianship was undertaken, from among Egypt's heroes,
By men of might and the greatest power.
فَكَمso how many بستيونٍa bastion ثابتِfirm in الأَصلfoundation محكمٍwell-built
فَكَم بستيونٍ ثابتِ الأَصل محكمٍ
يَلوحappears بهاتيكin those الحُصونfortifications المهمةimportant
يَلوح بهاتيك الحُصون المهمة
How many a bastion, firmly founded and well built,
Appears among those important fortifications!
وَكَمand how many جبهةa defensive front توديleads بِجبهةwith the front of عسكرan army
وَكَم جبهة تودي بِجبهة عسكر
إِلىto الحَتفdeath وَالأهوالand terrors فيon يَومa day of نقمةvengeance
إِلى الحَتف وَالأهوال في يَوم نقمة
How many a defensive front sends an army's front ranks
To death and terrors on a day of vengeance!
وَكَمand how many فارسa cavalier (raised gun platform) للبستيونof the bastion تَساقَطَتfell successively
وَكَم فارس للبستيون تَساقَطَت
عَلىupon الضدّthe foe مِنهُfrom it جَمرةٌan ember بَعدَafter جَمرةan ember
عَلى الضدّ مِنهُ جَمرةٌ بَعدَ جَمرة
From how many a bastion's cavalier have fallen
Upon the foe, ember after ember!
وَكَمand how many كزماتcasemates أَتقنواthey perfected وَضعthe construction of عقدهاtheir vaulting
وَكَم كزمات أَتقنوا وَضع عقدها
لتحفظto protect وَجهاًa front قابلوهthey faced it بِحدّةwith fierceness
لتحفظ وَجهاً قابلوه بِحدّة
How many a casemate, whose vaulting they fashioned with skill,
To guard a front they faced with fierceness!
وَكَمand how many بردةa curtain wall للخصمto the foe توديbrings destruction بِنارهاwith its fire
وَكَم بردة للخصم تودي بِنارها
وَتَرميand hurls بِأَحجارwith stones عَلَيهِat him وَبُمْبَةand a bomb
وَتَرمي بِأَحجار عَلَيهِ وَبُمْبَة
How many a curtain wall dooms the foe with its fire,
And hurls stones and bombs upon him!
وَكَمand how many مِنof تَلنياتtenailles وَكَمand how many قَمريةa lunette
وَكَم مِن تَلنيات وَكَم قَمرية
موكلةcharged فيin حصنِهاtheir fortress بِالبليةwith calamity
موكلة في حصنِها بِالبلية
How many tenailles, and how many lunettes,
Are charged, within their fort, with bringing calamity!
وَكَمand how many خَطa line of نارfire مِنهُfrom it تَبدوappear صَواعقٌthunderbolts
وَكَم خَط نار مِنهُ تَبدو صَواعقٌ
فَتحرقand so they burn ماwhatever تَأتيthey come عَلَيهِupon it بِسُرعةswiftly
فَتحرق ما تَأتي عَلَيهِ بِسُرعة
How many a line of fire sends forth thunderbolts,
Which swiftly burn whatever they fall upon!
وَكَمand how many خَطa line of رَأسa capital (salient bisector) مِنهُfrom it طافَتencircled بِمارقaround a renegade
وَكَم خَط رَأس مِنهُ طافَت بِمارق
رجومmissiles مِنof النيرانfire فيat كُلevery لَمحةinstant
رجوم مِن النيران في كُل لَمحة
How many a capital line has ringed a renegade
With missiles of fire at every instant!
وَكَمand how many بَطرياتbatteries تقابلconfront ضدهاtheir foe
وَكَم بَطريات تقابل ضدها
بِبَرقwith lightning وَرَعدand thunder فيin ضِياءdaylight وَظلمةand darkness
بِبَرق وَرَعد في ضِياء وَظلمة
How many batteries confront their foe
With lightning and thunder, in daylight and darkness!
وكمand how many دروةa parapet منfrom مزغلan embrasure of الموتdeath أحرقتburned
وكم دروة من مزغل الموت أحرقت
بنيرانهاwith its flames جيشthe army of العداةthe enemies الملمةassailing
بنيرانها جيش العداة الملمة
How many a parapet, through death's embrasure, has burned
With its flames the army of the assailing foes!
وكمand how many سكةa way مستورةcovered بمصائبwith calamities
وكم سكة مستورة بمصائب
لغرٍّfor an unwary man رمىassailed منهاfrom it بخطبwith misfortune ونكبةand disaster
لغرٍّ رمى منها بخطب ونكبة
How many a covered way is fraught with calamities
For an unwary man assailed from there by misfortune and disaster!
وكمand how many قدماتfiring steps للمشاةfor the infantry تكفّلتpledged
وكم قدمات للمشاة تكفّلت
بنادقُmuskets ششخاناتِهاtheir rifled guns بالمنيةwith death
بنادقُ ششخاناتِها بالمنية
How many infantry firing steps promise—
Through their rifled muskets—death!
وكمand how many منof متاريسbreastworks بهاin them الموتdeath كامنٌlurking
وكم من متاريس بها الموت كامنٌ
لغمرٍfor a novice يفاجيهاtakes them by surprise ببأسwith force ويقظةand vigilance
لغمرٍ يفاجيها ببأس ويقظة
How many breastworks have death lurking within them,
For a novice who surprises them with force and vigilance!
وكمand how many فيin الزواياthe angles الخارجاتprojecting outward لمنfor whoever بغىtransgressed
وكم في الزوايا الخارجات لمن بغى
سعيرٌa blaze بهby it يهويhe falls علىat حينa time of غفلةheedlessness
سعيرٌ به يهوي على حين غفلة
How often in the salient angles does the aggressor find
A blaze that brings him down in an unguarded moment!
وفيand in كلevery منشاريةsawtooth fortification منfrom جهنمhell
وفي كل منشارية من جهنم
هوانhumiliation كبيرgreat للعصاةfor the rebels الأذلةthe abject
هوان كبير للعصاة الأذلة
In every sawtooth work there is, from hell,
Great humiliation for the abject rebels.
وفيand in شقّa trench through صحراthe desert للعداfor the foes كمhow many نوائبcalamities
وفي شقّ صحرا للعدا كم نوائب
تدورcircle عليهمaround them عندduring كرٍّa charge وحملةand an assault
تدور عليهم عند كرٍّ وحملة
In a desert trench, how many calamities await the foes,
Circling about them when they charge and assault!
وكمand how many منof سراديبunderground passages الىto الحصنthe fortress تنتهيlead
وكم من سراديب الى الحصن تنتهي
بأبوابwith doors of سرsecrecy لاجتيازfor passage وخرجةand a sortie
بأبواب سر لاجتياز وخرجة
How many underground passages lead into the fortress,
With secret doors for passage and sortie!
وكمand how many خندقa moat فاضتoverflowed مياهthe waters of عذابهits torment
وكم خندق فاضت مياه عذابه
علىupon طامعa covetous foe ماnever فازattained يوماever ببغيةa desired goal
على طامع ما فاز يوما ببغية
How many a moat has poured its tormenting waters
Upon a covetous foe who never once gained his desire!
وأغرقتand they drowned الأثقالthe baggage عندupon انتشارهاtheir spreading
وأغرقت الأثقال عند انتشارها
وعمّتand spread everywhere كماas رامواthey wished سريعاًquickly بقوّةwith force
وعمّت كما راموا سريعاً بقوّة
They drowned the baggage as they spread,
And swiftly, forcefully swept over all, just as they wished.
وَكَمand how often هالterrified مِنfrom بربيطةa barbette رعدُthe thunder of مدفعa cannon
وَكَم هال مِن بربيطة رعدُ مدفع
وَزعزعand shook أَركانthe foundations of العَدوّthe enemy بصدمةwith a shock
وَزعزع أَركان العَدوّ بصدمة
How often a cannon's thunder from a barbette has struck terror,
And shaken the enemy's foundations with its shock!
وَكَمand how many كرنكa crenel مِنهُfrom it البَنادقthe muskets أَمطَرَتrained
وَكَم كرنك مِنهُ البَنادق أَمطَرَت
سَحابَa cloud of رَصاصٍlead bullets فيهِin it تَفريجrelief from أَزمةa crisis
سَحابَ رَصاصٍ فيهِ تَفريج أَزمة
From how many a crenel have muskets rained
A cloud of lead that brings relief from distress!
وَكَمand how many بانتِشارwith the spreading of الماءthe water خَطa line of تقربapproach
وَكَم بانتِشار الماء خَط تقرب
مِنto الحُصنthe fortress ضلتlost its way عَنهُfrom it أَرشدُthe most discerning فكرةthought
مِن الحُصن ضلت عَنهُ أَرشدُ فكرة
How often, as the waters spread, an approach line
To the fort has eluded the most discerning mind!
وَكَمand how many تاهstrayed عَنfrom خَطthe line of الحِصارsiege مجربٌa veteran
وَكَم تاه عَن خَط الحِصار مجربٌ
بِماbecause of what راعalarmed مِنof فَيضthe flooding of المِياهthe waters المضرةdestructive
بِما راع مِن فَيض المِياه المضرة
How many a veteran has strayed from the siege line,
Dismayed by the flood of destructive waters!
وَكَمand how many زاغَveered عَنfrom خَطthe line of الشَتاتdispersion محاربa warrior
وَكَم زاغَ عَن خَط الشَتات محارب
أَحاطَتsurrounded بِهِaround him الأَخطارthe dangers فيat كُلevery خُطوةstep
أَحاطَت بِهِ الأَخطار في كُل خُطوة
How many a warrior has veered from the line of dispersion,
Dangers surrounding him at every step!
وَكَمand how many مِنof مُوازa siege parallel قَدindeed تعذرproved impossible رسمهits tracing
وَكَم مِن مُواز قَد تعذر رسمه
وَتَخطيطهand its layout ماin the space بينbetween مَوجwaves وَلجّةand deep water
وَتَخطيطه ما بين مَوج وَلجّة
How many a siege parallel has proved impossible to trace
Or lay out amid waves and deep water!
وَكَمand how many بطرياتbatteries عَنfrom الخرقbreaching عاقَهاheld them back
وَكَم بطريات عَن الخرق عاقَها
جِبالmountains مِنof الطُوفانfloodwater فاضَتsurged بِشدةviolently
جِبال مِن الطُوفان فاضَت بِشدة
How many batteries have been kept from breaching
By mountains of floodwater surging violently!
وَكَمand how often ضاعَتwere wasted الأَلغامthe mines جَهلاًin ignorance وَباطِلاًand in vain
وَكَم ضاعَت الأَلغام جَهلاً وَباطِلاً
لطُغيانbecause of the overflowing of هَذاthis الماءwater مِنfrom قبلbefore ثورةan explosion
لطُغيان هَذا الماء مِن قبل ثورة
How often mines have been wasted, in ignorance and in vain,
Because these waters overwhelmed them before an explosion!
وَلمand did not تغنavail أَحجارstones تَوارَتwere concealed بشعبهin its channels
وَلم تغن أَحجار تَوارَت بشعبه
وَبارودهاand their gunpowder ماnot اِنفكdeparted عَنfrom بابthe door of خَزنةa magazine
وَبارودها ما اِنفك عَن باب خَزنة
Stones concealed in its channels proved of no use,
And their gunpowder never left the magazine door.
وَكَمand how many مِنof مَيادينparade grounds هُناhere قَدhave تَكَوّنتbeen formed
وَكَم مِن مَيادين هُنا قَد تَكَوّنت
لِقَصدfor the purpose of اجتماعassembly لاهتمامfor earnest attention بكسبةto securing a gain
لِقَصد اجتماع لاهتمام بكسبة
How many parade grounds have been formed here
For mustering, with an eye to success!
وَكَمand how many مِنof عِماراتbuildings لحفظto shelter عَساكرtroops
وَكَم مِن عِمارات لحفظ عَساكر
وَصونand safeguarding مهماتequipment سَتُبنىwill be built بحكمةwith wisdom
وَصون مهمات سَتُبنى بحكمة
How many buildings to shelter troops
And safeguard equipment will be wisely built!
وَكَمand how many مِنof رُؤوسheads لِلقناطرfor the bridges صَمّمواthey resolved
وَكَم مِن رُؤوس لِلقناطر صَمّموا
عَلَيهاupon them بِأَمنin safety مِنfrom هُجومan assault بِفَجأةby surprise
عَلَيها بِأَمن مِن هُجوم بِفَجأة
How many bridgeheads they have planned,
To be secure against sudden assault!
وَكَمand how many مِنof وُجوهdefensive fronts بِالمَناشيat al-Manashi سَتنتشيwill flourish
وَكَم مِن وُجوه بِالمَناشي سَتنتشي
وَتُبنيand be built وَفيand at شلقانShalqan تَبقىremain كعدةas a reserve
وَتُبني وَفي شلقان تَبقى كعدة
How many fronts at al-Manashi will flourish
And be built, and at Shalqan remain in readiness!
وَفيand in مثلthe same ذاكَthat الشَهرmonth تَمَّتthey were completed فَأرِّخواso record the chronogram
وَفي مثل ذاكَ الشَهر تَمَّت فَأرِّخوا
سَعيدSa‘id بِمَصرin Egypt سُورُthe rampart of أَكملthe most perfect دَولةstate
سَعيد بِمَصر سُورُ أَكمل دَولة
In the same month they were completed; record the chronogram:
“Sa‘id in Egypt is the rampart of the most perfect state.”
Sol 6.1