بهمة إسماعيل تدنو كواكبُ

بهمة إسماعيل تدنو كواكبُ

وَتَسعى بِها نَحوَ المَعالي مَواكبُ

وَتَسعى بِها نَحوَ المَعالي مَواكبُ

Through Ismail's resolve, stars draw near.

With the resolve of Ismail, the stars draw near

And through it processions hasten toward lofty heights.

And with it the processions strive for the highest ideals

وَيَحيا بِها في الكَون شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

وَيَحيا بِها في الكَون شَرقاً وَمَغرِباً

مِن الناس ماشٍ ذُو مواتٍ وَراكب

مِن الناس ماشٍ ذُو مواتٍ وَراكب

And through it, throughout the world, east and west, live

And by it, in the universe, East and West alike

Among people, the walker owning barren land and the rider.

Live — the walking and the mounted among mankind

وَجود يَديهِ كُل يَوم عَلى الوَرى

وَجود يَديهِ كُل يَوم عَلى الوَرى

بِدُون سُؤال كَالسَحائب ساكب

بِدُون سُؤال كَالسَحائب ساكب

And the bounty of his two hands, each day upon humankind,

His generosity rains upon all creatures each day

Pours forth unasked, like rain clouds.

Without asking, like pouring clouds

وَإِقدامه المَعهود في كل معرك

وَإِقدامه المَعهود في كل معرك

يَدين لَهُ بَينَ الفَوارس غالب

يَدين لَهُ بَينَ الفَوارس غالب

And his well-known boldness on every battlefield—

And his famous determination in every battle

The victor among horsemen submits to him.

Makes him victorious among the horsemen

وَتَدبيره في كَشف أَسرار غامض

وَتَدبيره في كَشف أَسرار غامض

بِهِ فُتِحت لِلعالمين مَطالب

بِهِ فُتِحت لِلعالمين مَطالب

And his planning in uncovering the secrets of obscure matters—

And his management in unraveling complex mysteries

Through it, goals were made attainable for all people.

With it, hopes are fulfilled for the worlds

وَلَو أَنَّني أَصبَحت كلِّي ألسناً

وَلَو أَنَّني أَصبَحت كلِّي ألسناً

وَأَنفقتُ عُمري في الثَنا وَهوَ واجب

وَأَنفقتُ عُمري في الثَنا وَهوَ واجب

And even if I became all tongues,

And if all I am were to become tongues

And spent my life in praise—which is a duty—

And I spent my life in praise — and that is a duty

وَزادَ ليسري حسنُ شكري عَلى الَّذي

وَزادَ ليسري حسنُ شكري عَلى الَّذي

حَباني بِهِ وَالدَهر مغضٍ وَغاضب

حَباني بِهِ وَالدَهر مغضٍ وَغاضب

And the grace of my thanks added to my ease for what

And the goodness of my gratitude increased for the one

He bestowed on me, while Time averted its gaze and raged,

Who blessed me while time was unkind and wrathful

وَطابَ مَديحي فيهِ حَيث أَغاثَني

وَطابَ مَديحي فيهِ حَيث أَغاثَني

بِما فيهِ لِلعَبد الفَقير مَواهب

بِما فيهِ لِلعَبد الفَقير مَواهب

And my praise of him grew sweet when he succored me

And my praise was refined for the one who rescued me

With his gifts for this poor servant,

With gifts for the poor slave in need

بِما فيهِ لِلداعي رَشاد رِعاية

بِما فيهِ لِلداعي رَشاد رِعاية

بِها رَفَعت عَن والديه مَصائب

بِها رَفَعت عَن والديه مَصائب

With his care for the petitioner Rashad,

With which the guide's care raised his parents

Through which you lifted afflictions from his parents,

From ordeals and tribulations

لقصرت عَن إحصاء مَعشار عشر ما

لقصرت عَن إحصاء مَعشار عشر ما

بِهِ تَتَحلّى مِن علاه مَناقب

بِهِ تَتَحلّى مِن علاه مَناقب

I would surely fall short of counting a tenth of a tenth of what

I would fall short of enumerating a tenth of the virtues

Adorns the virtues of his exalted stature.

With which his supreme qualities are adorned

أَيا أَيُّها الشَهم الَّذي قَد تشرّفت

أَيا أَيُّها الشَهم الَّذي قَد تشرّفت

بِطلعته في ملك مصر مَراتب

بِطلعته في ملك مصر مَراتب

O noble-hearted man, who has ennobled

O gallant one, whom ascended in the ranks

By his presence the ranks within Egypt's realm,

Of the Egyptian rule to prominence

وَقَد نالت الأَوطان مِن حُسن رَأيه

وَقَد نالت الأَوطان مِن حُسن رَأيه

وَفطنته ما منه تَسمو مَناصب

وَفطنته ما منه تَسمو مَناصب

And the homelands have gained, from his sound judgment

And the homelands gained from his wise opinion

And his discernment, that which raises offices high.

And insight what high positions aspire to

وَفيها صفت مِنهُ بِأَسنى سِياسةٍ

وَفيها صفت مِنهُ بِأَسنى سِياسةٍ

لملتجئٍ يأَوي إِلَيهِ مَشارب

لملتجئٍ يأَوي إِلَيهِ مَشارب

And there, through him, under the finest governance, grew clear

And found in him the finest governance

The watering places for one who seeks refuge with him.

For a refugee seeking his guidance

إِلَيكَ عَليٌّ لاحَ بِالشُكر ناطِقاً

إِلَيكَ عَليٌّ لاحَ بِالشُكر ناطِقاً

عَلى نعمٍ عَن حَصرِها كَلَّ حاسب

عَلى نعمٍ عَن حَصرِها كَلَّ حاسب

Before you, Ali has appeared, voicing his thanks

To you, Ali, gratitude shines forth speaking

For favors whose enumeration has wearied the reckoner;

Of blessings beyond any counter's count

عَلى فَتح بَيت كاد لَولاك بابه

عَلى فَتح بَيت كاد لَولاك بابه

يُغلِّقُه يَأس عَنيد مُراقب

يُغلِّقُه يَأس عَنيد مُراقب

For opening a house whose door, but for you, was about

For opening a house whose door, were it not for you

To be shut by obstinate, watchful despair.

Would be shut by stubborn, watchful despair

فَكُن لي نَصيراً يَوم لا ذو فتوّة

فَكُن لي نَصيراً يَوم لا ذو فتوّة

سِواك عَن العَبد الضَعيف يُحارب

سِواك عَن العَبد الضَعيف يُحارب

So be my champion on a day when no man of chivalry

So be my ally on a day none but you

But you fights on behalf of this weak servant.

Would defend the weak slave under attack

وَعَهديَ في أَخلاقك الغرّ أَنَّني

وَعَهديَ في أَخلاقك الغرّ أَنَّني

أَفوز وَلي يَقضي بِظني مآرب

أَفوز وَلي يَقضي بِظني مآرب

And my knowledge of your radiant character assures me that I

And my covenant in your noble nature is that

Shall succeed and, as I expect, have my wishes fulfilled,

I will succeed and my wishes with you fulfilled

وَأَبلغ ما أَمّلت فيك وَلم أَكُن

وَأَبلغ ما أَمّلت فيك وَلم أَكُن

لَدَيك كَمَن ضاقَت عَلَيهِ مَذاهب

لَدَيك كَمَن ضاقَت عَلَيهِ مَذاهب

And attain what I hoped for from you; I have not been

And attain all I hoped in you, and I was not

With you like one whose paths have narrowed around him.

Of those whose paths were too narrow

فَستون شَهراً في البِطالة أَذهَبَت

فَستون شَهراً في البِطالة أَذهَبَت

أَثاثي وَقَد سدّت عَليّ المَسارب

أَثاثي وَقَد سدّت عَليّ المَسارب

For sixty months of unemployment have taken away

Sixty months of unemployment exhausted

My furnishings, and the pathways have been closed to me.

My furniture and closed off my avenues

وَأَنتَ كَريم راحمُ القَلب بامرئ

وَأَنتَ كَريم راحمُ القَلب بامرئ

بِحَزمك مِنهُ لَيسَ يُهضم جانب

بِحَزمك مِنهُ لَيسَ يُهضم جانب

And you are generous, merciful of heart toward a man

But you are kind, merciful at heart, so that

Whose standing, through your firmness, is not diminished.

None withstand your resolve without being wronged

وَمَن دقَّ أَبواب الكِرام تفتحت

وَمَن دقَّ أَبواب الكِرام تفتحت

لَهُ وَتَوارت عَن حِماه نَوائب

لَهُ وَتَوارت عَن حِماه نَوائب

And whoever knocks at the doors of the generous—they open

And whoever knocks on the doors of generosity

For him, and misfortunes vanish from his sanctuary.

They open to him and tribulations disappear

فَلا زلت غَوثاً للعباد بِدَولة

فَلا زلت غَوثاً للعباد بِدَولة

بِنُورك تُجلَى عَن سَماها غَياهب

بِنُورك تُجلَى عَن سَماها غَياهب

So may you ever remain a succor to the people in a realm

So you remain a rescuer of servants in a state

From whose sky deep darkness is dispelled by your light.

Whose light dispels gloom from its sky

وَلا بَرح الإِقبال عَبدك ماثلاً

وَلا بَرح الإِقبال عَبدك ماثلاً

بِهمة إسماعيل تدنو كَواكب

بِهمة إسماعيل تدنو كَواكب

And may good fortune never cease to stand as your servant;

And your servant continues to visions success

Through Ismail's resolve, stars draw near.

With the resolve of Ismail, the stars draw near