شَكا البَيت حرماني وَطُول إِقامَتي

شَكا البَيت حرماني وَطُول إِقامَتي

بِهِ لا لشيء موجب لملامتي

بِهِ لا لشيء موجب لملامتي

The house lamented my deprivation and my long stay

The house complained of my deprivation and long stay

Within it, though nothing warranted reproaching me;

In it for no good reason to blame me

وَغلق باب الرزق دُوني عَلى

وَغلق باب الرزق دُوني عَلى

لَها القَطع يَسعى قَبل يَوم القِيامة

لَها القَطع يَسعى قَبل يَوم القِيامة

And the closing of livelihood’s door against me, upon—[wording unclear]

And the door of livelihood closed before me

For it, severance hastens before the Day of Resurrection.

To seek provision before the Day of Judgment

وَدارَت عَلى قطر المَعاش دَوائرٌ

وَدارَت عَلى قطر المَعاش دَوائرٌ

مَراكزها زالَت بَلَغو الإِدارة

مَراكزها زالَت بَلَغو الإِدارة

And circles of misfortune revolved around livelihood’s diameter;

And circles turned on the axis of livelihood

Their centers vanished with the abolition of the administration.

Their centers have declined, reaching the administration

وَما كانَ ظَني بَعدَ عشرين حجةً

وَما كانَ ظَني بَعدَ عشرين حجةً

وَعَشر قَضَت في خدمَتي بِالصَداقة

وَعَشر قَضَت في خدمَتي بِالصَداقة

Nor did I expect, after twenty years

And I did not expect after twenty pilgrimages

And ten more passed in my service, in friendship,

And ten spent in service with loyalty

وَفَرط اجتِهادي في تَراجم عدة

وَفَرط اجتِهادي في تَراجم عدة

مِن الكُتب أَن أُرمَى بِسَهم البَطالة

مِن الكُتب أَن أُرمَى بِسَهم البَطالة

And my utmost efforts in translating several

And my overflowing efforts in many translations

Books, to be struck by the arrow of unemployment,

Of books that I would be struck by unemployment

وَيُنكرني مَن لَيسَ يَجهَل أَنَّني

وَيُنكرني مَن لَيسَ يَجهَل أَنَّني

أَمين نُصوح مُخلص في خدامتي

أَمين نُصوح مُخلص في خدامتي

And be disowned by one who knows full well that I am

And I would be denied by one who does not ignore that I

Trustworthy, a sincere adviser, and devoted in my service.

Am a sincere, loyal servant in my service

فَيا أَيُّها الصَدر الَّذي بِسَداده

فَيا أَيُّها الصَدر الَّذي بِسَداده

وَمحتده قَد نالَ أَسمى مَكانة

وَمحتده قَد نالَ أَسمى مَكانة

So, O chief minister, who through his sound judgment

So O chest which in its integrity

And his lineage has attained the loftiest station,

And sharpness has attained the highest position

وِبالسَيف وَالخطيّ وَالقَلَم اِرتَقى

وِبالسَيف وَالخطيّ وَالقَلَم اِرتَقى

إِلى ذُروة العليا وَأَوج الصَدارة

إِلى ذُروة العليا وَأَوج الصَدارة

And by sword, Khatti spear, and pen has risen

And with sword, rhetoric and pen has risen

To the summit of eminence and the pinnacle of high office:

To the peak of heights and top of leadership

خديمك مَجدي قَد تَعدّى زَمانُه

خديمك مَجدي قَد تَعدّى زَمانُه

عَلَيهِ وَأَصماه بِنبل العَداوة

عَلَيهِ وَأَصماه بِنبل العَداوة

Your humble servant Magdi—his times have dealt unjustly

Your servant Majdi, his time has transgressed

With him and struck him down with arrows of enmity.

Upon him and deafened him with the arrows of enmity

وَمِن مُنذ عيد الفطر وَهُوَ مُقيد

وَمِن مُنذ عيد الفطر وَهُوَ مُقيد

بِقَيد العَنا في أَسر فقر وَفاقة

بِقَيد العَنا في أَسر فقر وَفاقة

And since Eid al-Fitr he has been shackled

And since the Feast of Breaking Fast he has been shackled

By hardship’s fetter, captive to poverty and want.

With the shackles of misery in the captivity of poverty and destitution

وَقَد رَفع الشَكوى إِلَيك وَإِنَّهُ

وَقَد رَفع الشَكوى إِلَيك وَإِنَّهُ

عَلى ثِقة مِن كَشف سُحب الظَلامة

عَلى ثِقة مِن كَشف سُحب الظَلامة

And he has submitted his complaint to you, and indeed he is

And he has raised a complaint to you and he is

Confident that the clouds of injustice will be dispersed.

Confident you will dispel the clouds of darkness

فَجد يا شَريف الاسم وَالأَصل بِالَّذي

فَجد يا شَريف الاسم وَالأَصل بِالَّذي

لَهُ أَنتَ أَهل يا حَليف العَدالة

لَهُ أَنتَ أَهل يا حَليف العَدالة

So give generously, O noble in name and lineage, what

So help, O noble name and lineage, with what

Befits you, O ally of justice.

You are worthy of, O ally of justice

فَإِنيَ قَد أَبديت مابي لِمنصف

فَإِنيَ قَد أَبديت مابي لِمنصف

عُطوف رؤف القَلب يَرثي لِحالَتي

عُطوف رؤف القَلب يَرثي لِحالَتي

For I have revealed what ails me to a fair-minded man,

For I have stated my situation to an equitable judge

Kind and tenderhearted, who pities my plight,

Kind-hearted and compassionate, who sympathizes with my condition

لِيَزداد مني حُسن شُكري لِدَولة

لِيَزداد مني حُسن شُكري لِدَولة

تَدوم بِها في نعمة وَكرامة

تَدوم بِها في نعمة وَكرامة

So that my heartfelt gratitude may grow toward a state

So that my gratitude to the state increases

Under which you may remain in blessing and honor.

Through which you enjoy favor and honor