Sol 6.1

  1. لِلنيل مِن بَحر السَعيد الوافرِ

    في مَصر فَيضٌ عَمَّها بِبَشائرِ

    For the Nile, from Sa‘id's bountiful sea,

    there is a flood in Egypt, filling her with glad tidings.

  2. وَجَرى مَع التَيار فَوقَ سُهولها

    طَميٌ تَورّد مِنهُ خَد الحاجر

    And with the current, over her plains, flowed

    silt that brought a rosy blush to the riverbank's cheek.

  3. وَرَوى البحيرة وَالصَعيد وَلَم يَدع

    بِميامنٍ أَرضاً وَلا بِمياسر

    And it watered al-Buhayra and Upper Egypt, leaving

    no land unwatered, to the right or to the left.

  4. وَالبَرُّ أَصبَح مِنهُ بَحراً زانَهُ

    مدنٌ زَهَت بِنَخيلها المُتَجاور

    And through it the land became a sea, adorned

    by cities resplendent with their palms standing side by side.

  5. وَسَتنجلي عَنهُ المِياه وَيَكتَسي

    حلَلاً مِن الرَوض البَهيج الناضر

    And the waters will recede from it, and it will don

    robes of delightful, verdant gardens.

  6. وَالخصب في مَصر بِيُمنِ مَليكها

    يَنمو نُموّاً ما لَهُ مِن آخر

    And fertility in Egypt, through her sovereign's blessing,

    grows and grows, without an end.

  7. وَبسعد طالعه وَحُسن عهاده

    تَزداد ثَروة كُل عَبد شاكر

    And through his fortunate star and his kindly showers,

    the wealth of every grateful servant increases.

  8. وَبِعَدله تروي أَحاديثَ السَخا

    أَبناؤُها في عَصره عَن جابر

    And through his justice, tales of generosity are recounted

    by her sons in his age, on the authority of Jabir:

  9. عَن جُود راحته وَغَيث نَواله

    وَسَحاب نعمته الغَزير الماطر

    of his palm's generosity and the rain of his bounty,

    and the cloud of his favor, pouring abundant rain.

  10. كَم مِن مبرّات لَهُ وَمَواهب

    قَبل السُؤال مَسرّة للخاطر

    How many charitable deeds and gifts are his,

    before any request—a delight to the heart!

  11. كَم مِن أَياد لِلسَعيد شُموسُها

    في أُفقه لاحَت لِعَين الناظر

    How many favors of Sa‘id—their suns

    have shone on his horizon before the beholder's eye!

  12. كَم مِن مَساع أَيدت أَوطانه

    بِمَوارد نَحوَ العُلا وَمَصادر

    How many endeavors have strengthened his lands,

    with paths toward glory, in approach and departure!

  13. مِنها نِظام الجَيش وَهوَ إِذا سَطا

    نَثر الرُؤس بِطَعنه المُتَواتر

    Among them is the army's organization; when it attacks,

    it scatters heads with its repeated thrusts.

  14. سَل عَنهُ أَعلام التَمَدن إِنَّها

    نَشَرت بِطيّ تَوحش وَتَنافر

    Ask the banners of civilization about it: they

    were unfurled as savagery and discord were folded away.

  15. سَل عَن صَوارمه الَّتي في غمدها

    تودي بِمهجة كُل لَيث هاصر

    Ask about its keen swords, which, in their sheaths,

    take the life of every lion that crushes its prey.

  16. سَل عَن عَوامله النُحور فَإِنَّها

    رُسل الحتوف إِلى السَفيه الغادر

    Ask throats about its spearheads, for they

    are death's messengers to the treacherous fool.

  17. سَل عَن مَدافعه العِدا وَحُصونهم

    فَلَقَد مَحَت مِنها رُسوم الساتر

    Ask the foes and their fortresses about its cannons:

    for they have indeed wiped from them the traces of their ramparts.

  18. كَم حكمة يَمنية وَصَرامة

    بِهما عَلَت أَركان ملك باهر

    How much Yemeni wisdom, and how much firmness!

    Through both, the pillars of a splendid kingdom rose.

  19. وَلَكَم بِدَولته جلت آراؤه

    عَنها غَياهبَ لَيل خَطب ضائر

    And how often, in his realm, his counsels have dispelled

    from it the deep darkness of a night of grievous calamity!

  20. يا أَيُّها النيل الَّذي مِن دُونه

    نَهر الفُرات وَكُل بَحر زاخر

    O Nile, below which lie

    the river Euphrates and every surging sea!

  21. لَكَ كُل عام عِندَ مَصر وَأَهلِها

    أَعياد خلّ بِالخُصوبة زائر

    For you, each year, in Egypt and among her people,

    are festivals for a dear friend visiting with fertility.

  22. وَبِكَ الصَفا يَزداد عِندَ تَكدّر

    لِلماء وَهوَ خلاف حُكم الظاهر

    And through you, purity increases with the turbidity

    of the water—contrary to what appearances would suggest.

  23. وَلأنت مَحمود وَنَفعك لَم يَزَل

    مُتَجدداً بِسَداد هَذا الداوري

    And you are indeed praiseworthy, and your benefit has never ceased

    to be renewed through this sovereign's sound judgment.

  24. لا زالَ لِلدين القَويم مؤيداً

    في مُلكه بِسياسة وَعَساكر

    May he never cease upholding the upright faith,

    in his kingdom, through statecraft and armies,

  25. مُتَباهياً بِذَكاء نَجل ناجب

    فَطن إِلى حَوز العُلوم مُبادر

    taking pride in the intelligence of a gifted son,

    astute, hastening to acquire the sciences,

  26. ما أَشرَقَت مَصر بِنَظم مَواكب

    تَسعى إِلى جَبر الخَليج الناصري

    as long as Egypt shines with ordered processions

    making their way to the restoration of the Nasiri Canal.

  27. وَهُنالك الصِيوان لاحَ وَإِنَّهُ

    فَلَك أَضاء بِنُور بَدر زاهر

    And there the pavilion appeared, and indeed it was

    a celestial sphere lit by a radiant full moon's light.

  28. أَو قُلت بَينَ يَدي عُلاه مُؤرخاً

    جَبر السَعيد خَليجَه بِأَوامر

    Or I said before His Highness, composing a chronogram:

    Sa‘id restored his canal through decrees.