هَل شَمسُ حسنٍ تَجلت في مَغانيها

هَل شَمسُ حسنٍ تَجلت في مَغانيها

أَم رَوضةٌ أَينَعَت تَدنو مَجانيها

أَم رَوضةٌ أَينَعَت تَدنو مَجانيها

Has a sun of beauty shone forth in its abodes,

Has the sun of beauty risen in its glories?

or a garden ripened, its fruits within reach?

Or is it a garden in bloom, drawing near its beauties?

أَم بَدر أُنس بَدَت أَنواره فَجلت

أَم بَدر أُنس بَدَت أَنواره فَجلت

مِن المحاسن ما تَزهو مَعانيها

مِن المحاسن ما تَزهو مَعانيها

Or a full moon of delight, whose lights appeared and revealed

Is it a friendly full moon whose lights have appeared,

beauties whose meanings glow with splendor?

Manifesting the meanings of its perfections?

أَم ذَلِكَ الفلك الأَعلى كَواكبُه

أَم ذَلِكَ الفلك الأَعلى كَواكبُه

في الأَرض لاحَت وَما في الأُفق ثانيها

في الأَرض لاحَت وَما في الأُفق ثانيها

Or is it that highest firmament, whose stars

Or are those the stars of the highest heaven,

have shone upon the earth, with no counterparts on the horizon?

Whose lights shone on earth and fill the horizons?

أَم ذَلِكَ الشَهم شاهين الجُيوش بَنى

أَم ذَلِكَ الشَهم شاهين الجُيوش بَنى

داراً بِمصر علت قَدراً بِبانيها

داراً بِمصر علت قَدراً بِبانيها

Or did that gallant man, Shahin of the armies, build

Or is it that valiant king of armies who built

a house in Egypt that rose in stature through its builder?

A palace in Egypt, raising its grandeur with its builder?

وَقال مَجدي بِناديها يؤرخها

وَقال مَجدي بِناديها يؤرخها

سِراية صان شاهينٌ مَبانيها

سِراية صان شاهينٌ مَبانيها

And Majdi said in its assembly hall, recording its date:

And Majdi proclaimed in his ode recording its date:

“A palace whose buildings Shahin has safeguarded.”

"A palace protected by the valiant king in its structures."