بُشرى بنجل نَجيبٍ مِن بَني وَهبي

بُشرى بنجل نَجيبٍ مِن بَني وَهبي

سَنا مجياه عَن صُبح السَنا مُنْبي

سَنا مجياه عَن صُبح السَنا مُنْبي

Glad tidings of a noble son of the house of Wahbi!

Good tidings of a noble son of the eminent Wahabi family

The radiance of his countenance heralds the dawn of splendor.

His banners have appeared from behind the curtains of dawn

وَنَجم مَولده في مَصر طالعه

وَنَجم مَولده في مَصر طالعه

أَضحى سَعيداً عَلى الأَعجام وَالعرْبِ

أَضحى سَعيداً عَلى الأَعجام وَالعرْبِ

And the ascendant of his birth-star in Egypt

The star of his birth rose in Egypt, becoming

Has proved auspicious for non-Arabs and Arabs.

A source of joy for non-Arabs and Arabs alike

وَالدَهر جادَ بِما قَد كانَ والده

وَالدَهر جادَ بِما قَد كانَ والده

يَرجوه مِنهُ وَفازَ الصَبّ بِالقرب

يَرجوه مِنهُ وَفازَ الصَبّ بِالقرب

And Time has bestowed what his father

Fate has granted what his father had wished of him

Had hoped from it; the longing lover has won closeness.

And this youth has attained that which is near

فَكَيفَ وَهوَ لِمَن وافاه مُجتدياً

فَكَيفَ وَهوَ لِمَن وافاه مُجتدياً

رب الجدى وَالنَدى في المحل وَالخصب

رب الجدى وَالنَدى في المحل وَالخصب

So how could it be otherwise, when, for whoever comes seeking bounty,

So how could it be otherwise, when he who meets him finds guidance

He is lord of largesse and generosity, in drought and abundance?

Lord of generosity and dew in residence and fertile land

وَهوَ الأَمير الَّذي أَعلام شُهرته

وَهوَ الأَمير الَّذي أَعلام شُهرته

سَرى بِها الرَكب مِن شَرق إِلى غَرب

سَرى بِها الرَكب مِن شَرق إِلى غَرب

And he is the prince whose banners of fame

He is the Prince whose fame’s banners

The caravans have carried from east to west.

Have traveled from East to West on high

وَكَيفَ وَهوَ عَبابٌ في فَضائله

وَكَيفَ وَهوَ عَبابٌ في فَضائله

تُروى رِياض النُهى مِن مائِهِ العَذب

تُروى رِياض النُهى مِن مائِهِ العَذب

And how could it be otherwise, when he is a surging sea of virtues,

How could it be otherwise, he being a sea of virtues

Whose sweet waters irrigate the gardens of reason?

With which gardens of decency are watered from his sweet springs

وَهوَ البَليغ الَّذي أَقلامه سَجدت

وَهوَ البَليغ الَّذي أَقلامه سَجدت

طَوعاً لَها قامة الخطيّ وَالعضْبِ

طَوعاً لَها قامة الخطيّ وَالعضْبِ

And he is the eloquent man before whose pens

He is the eloquent one whose pens bow down

The upright Khatti spear and keen sword have bowed willingly.

To the stature of prose and verse willingly

وَهوَ الأَديب الَّذي فاقَت بَلاغَتُه

وَهوَ الأَديب الَّذي فاقَت بَلاغَتُه

في النظم وَالنَثر بِالتَصحيف وَالقَلب

في النظم وَالنَثر بِالتَصحيف وَالقَلب

And he is the man of letters whose eloquence excels

He is the man of letters whose eloquence

In verse and prose, through letter-dot changes and letter reversal.

Surpasses rhythmic prose and prose poetry

وَهوَ اللَبيب الَّذي أَغنَت فَكاهته

وَهوَ اللَبيب الَّذي أَغنَت فَكاهته

عَن التَداوي مِن الأَدواء بِالطب

عَن التَداوي مِن الأَدواء بِالطب

And he is the discerning man whose humor dispenses

He is the brilliant one whose wit makes light

With medical treatment for ailments.

Of seeking treatment with medicine

وَهوَ الأَريب الَّذي أَنوار فكرته

وَهوَ الأَريب الَّذي أَنوار فكرته

تَجلو غَياهب ما يَبدو مِن الخَطْب

تَجلو غَياهب ما يَبدو مِن الخَطْب

And he is the astute man, the lights of whose thought

He is the astute one whose thoughts’ illumination

Dispel the darkness of whatever calamity arises.

Clarifies the gloom of whatever grave matter occurs

وَهوَ الرَئيس الَّذي جَلت مَناقبه

وَهوَ الرَئيس الَّذي جَلت مَناقبه

بَينَ الأَنام عَن الإِحصاء وَالحَسْب

بَينَ الأَنام عَن الإِحصاء وَالحَسْب

And he is the leader whose merits stand exalted,

He is the chief whose attributes’ perfection

Among mankind, beyond counting and reckoning.

Is too evident among people to count or measure

فَمَن يُجاريه في مضمار مكرمة

فَمَن يُجاريه في مضمار مكرمة

وَطِرفُه سابقٌ لِلخَير وَالكعب

وَطِرفُه سابقٌ لِلخَير وَالكعب

So who can match him on the racecourse of noble deeds,

So who rivals him in the race track of honor

When his steed races ahead toward goodness and eminence?

When he leads the pack in doing good and rising high

وَمَن يُباريه في علم وفي عَمَل

وَمَن يُباريه في علم وفي عَمَل

وَفي ذَكاء وَفي حلم وَفي إِرْب

وَفي ذَكاء وَفي حلم وَفي إِرْب

And who can rival him in knowledge and in deeds,

And who contends with him in knowledge, deed,

And in intelligence, and in forbearance, and in sagacity?

Wisdom, restraint, wariness and dignity

لازالَ مَع نَجله السامي وَعترته

لازالَ مَع نَجله السامي وَعترته

منعَّمَ البال مِن عقب إِلى عقب

منعَّمَ البال مِن عقب إِلى عقب

May he ever, with his exalted son and his family,

May he and his august son and progeny live on

Enjoy peace of mind, generation after generation,

With ease of spirit from generation to generation

ما أَشرقت شَمس هَذا الشبل وَاِرتَفَعَت

ما أَشرقت شَمس هَذا الشبل وَاِرتَفَعَت

في ثالث الحجة المحمودة الغبّ

في ثالث الحجة المحمودة الغبّ

As long as the sun of this lion-cub shines and rises

Since the rising of this cub’s sun in the blessed

On the third of Dhu al-Hijjah, auspicious in its outcome,

Third of Dhu al-Hijjah there’s been no other

أَو قامَ مَجدي يَهنيه بِمَولده

أَو قامَ مَجدي يَهنيه بِمَولده

في محفل مِن بَني الآداب وَالصحب

في محفل مِن بَني الآداب وَالصحب

Or Majdi rises to congratulate him on his birth

Or my attending his birth feast among the community

In a gathering of the sons of letters and friends,

Of the literary and companions but I’ve sung

أَو أَنشَدت أَلسنُ العليا مؤرَّخةً

أَو أَنشَدت أَلسنُ العليا مؤرَّخةً

ذكيُّ مصر سَليم أَحمد وَهبى

ذكيُّ مصر سَليم أَحمد وَهبى

Or the tongues of glory recite a chronogram:

Of Egypt’s star: Suleiman Ahmad Wahabi.

“Egypt's brilliant one: Salim Ahmad Wahbi.”