أَشرقت مصرُ فرحةً بِالقدومِ

أَشرقت مصرُ فرحةً بِالقدومِ

فَاِزدَرى نُورُها بِزُهر النُجومِ

فَاِزدَرى نُورُها بِزُهر النُجومِ

Egypt shone, rejoicing at the arrival,

Egypt shone with joy at his arrival,

So her radiance looked down upon the shining stars.

Its light disdained the flowers of stars,

وَسَعى نَحوَها السَعيد بِقَلب

وَسَعى نَحوَها السَعيد بِقَلب

عامرٍ بِالوَرى رؤوفٍ رَحيم

عامرٍ بِالوَرى رؤوفٍ رَحيم

And Sa‘id hastened toward her with a heart

And the blessed one hurried to it with a heart

Filled with love for humankind, compassionate and merciful.

Full of love for people, compassionate and kind,

فَتلقته بِالثَنا وَالتَهاني

فَتلقته بِالثَنا وَالتَهاني

حينَ وافى مِن دار ملك عَظيم

حينَ وافى مِن دار ملك عَظيم

So she welcomed him with praise and congratulations

It welcomed him with praise and congratulations

When he arrived from a mighty king’s court.

When he came from the land of a great king,

وَتمنت لَهُ الخُلودَ لِتَحظى

وَتمنت لَهُ الخُلودَ لِتَحظى

مِنهُ أَبناؤُها بِعَدلٍ عَميم

مِنهُ أَبناؤُها بِعَدلٍ عَميم

And she wished him everlasting life, so that

And wished him eternity so that

Her sons might enjoy his all-embracing justice.

Its people would enjoy his complete justice,

فَاستجيب الدُعاء مِنها وَفازَت

فَاستجيب الدُعاء مِنها وَفازَت

بِخُصوص مِما اِشتَهَت وَعُموم

بِخُصوص مِما اِشتَهَت وَعُموم

So her prayer was answered, and she obtained

The prayer was answered and it succeeded

What she desired, in detail and in full.

In getting what it desired in particular and general,

وَحباها سَعيدُها بِجُنود

وَحباها سَعيدُها بِجُنود

وَحُصون تردّ بَأس الخُصوم

وَحُصون تردّ بَأس الخُصوم

And her Sa‘id endowed her with troops

And its blessed one endowed it with troops

And fortresses that repel the might of her foes.

And fortresses to repel the might of foes,

فَهوَ مَأمونها وَحامي حِماها

فَهوَ مَأمونها وَحامي حِماها

وَهيَ للعالمين مَهد العُلوم

وَهيَ للعالمين مَهد العُلوم

For he is her trusted one and the guardian of her domain,

He is its safe keeper and protector of its sanctuary,

And she is the cradle of the sciences for all peoples.

And it is to the world the cradle of sciences,

شرح اللَه صَدر علياه فيها

شرح اللَه صَدر علياه فيها

بِبُلوغ المُنى وَقَمع الغَريم

بِبُلوغ المُنى وَقَمع الغَريم

May God gladden His Highness’s heart within her

May God ease in it the breast of its exalted one,

Through fulfilled wishes and the crushing of his foe;

To attain wishes and suppress the enemy,

وَكَسا شبله مِن الفَضل أَسنى

وَكَسا شبله مِن الفَضل أَسنى

حلةٍ صنُعها بَديع الرُسوم

حلةٍ صنُعها بَديع الرُسوم

And clothe his lion-cub, through bounty, in the most radiant

And clothe his cub with the finest attire

Robe, whose workmanship is wondrous in design,

Of excellence, made by the best of designers,

ما بِحُسن الإِخلاص أَنشد مَجدي

ما بِحُسن الإِخلاص أَنشد مَجدي

مدحةً فيهِ ذاتَ درٍّ نظيم

مدحةً فيهِ ذاتَ درٍّ نظيم

As long as Majdi recites with pure sincerity

Neither in sincerity did Majdi eulogize his glory,

A praise-poem about him, adorned with strung pearls,

Composing a poem about him of precious prose,

أَو لَهُ قالَت العِناية أَرّخ

أَو لَهُ قالَت العِناية أَرّخ

للخديوي في مصر أَبهى قُدوم

للخديوي في مصر أَبهى قُدوم

Or Providence says to him, ‘Record the date:

Nor did providence say, record for the Khedive

The Khedive’s most splendid arrival in Egypt.’

In Egypt the most beautiful of arrivals.