آنthe time has come للشاعرfor the poet إطلاقloosening العنانْthe reins
آن للشاعر إطلاق العنانْ
ليوفِّيso he may fulfill حقthe due هذاthis المهرجانْfestival
ليوفِّي حق هذا المهرجانْ
The time has come for the poet to loose the reins,
The poet is free to let loose
to give this festival its due.
To fulfil the right of this festival
وأغاليand I go to excess فيin امتداحيmy praise ملكاًa king
وأغالي في امتداحي ملكاً
ليَfor me فيin دولتهhis realm خيرthe best مكانplace
ليَ في دولته خير مكان
And I go to excess in praising a king
And I exaggerate in my praise of a king
in whose realm I hold the finest place.
For he has the best place in his state
ألهمتنيinspired me كلevery معنىthought باهرdazzling
ألهمتني كل معنى باهر
فيهin him أخلاقٌvirtues وأوصافٌand qualities حسانfine
فيه أخلاقٌ وأوصافٌ حسان
Every dazzling thought was inspired in me
Every splendid meaning has inspired me
by the fine virtues and qualities within him.
In it are beautiful morals and traits
أنكرrejected القومthe people اعتقاديmy belief أنهthat he
أنكر القوم اعتقادي أنه
قادرmighty فيin قبضتيهhis two fists المشرقانthe two Easts
قادر في قبضتيه المشرقان
The people rejected my belief that he is
The people denied my belief that he
mighty, with the two Easts in his grasp.
Is able, in his two hands, the easts
أناI لاdo not أضمرharbor سوءاًill intent وكفىand it is enough
أنا لا أضمر سوءاً وكفى
أنthat شعريmy poetry لفؤاديfor my heart ترجمانan interpreter
أن شعري لفؤادي ترجمان
I harbor no ill intent; it is enough
I do not harbour ill-intent and enough
that my verse interprets my heart.
That my poetry is the translator of my heart
هلwhether أراهI regard him عاجزاًincapable عنof نيلattaining ماwhat
هل أراه عاجزاً عن نيل ما
لمdid not ينلهattain it أبواهhis two forebears السابقانpreceding
لم ينله أبواه السابقان
Could I deem him incapable of attaining what
Do I see him unable to attain what
his two forebears before him never attained?
His two predecessors did not attain
وهوand he is عونthe support الدينof the faith والمولىand the lord الذيwho
وهو عون الدين والمولى الذي
نصرsupported السلطانthe Sultan فيin هذاthis الزمانage
نصر السلطان في هذا الزمان
He is the faith's support, and the lord who
He is the support of the faith and the master who
supported the Sultan in this age.
Helped the sultan in this time
وأطاعتهand obeyed him البراياall people وبداand appeared
وأطاعته البرايا وبدا
حكمهhis rule العادلjust فيهمamong them واستبانand became clear
حكمه العادل فيهم واستبان
All people obeyed him, and there emerged
The deserts obeyed him and
his just rule among them, clear to see.
His just rule appeared among them and was clear
قامtook charge بالأمرof the task فماand nothing كانcame to pass سوىexcept
قام بالأمر فما كان سوى
ماwhat ابتغتهsought it فيagainst الأعاديthe enemies الدولتانthe two states
ما ابتغته في الأعادي الدولتان
He took charge, and nothing came to pass but
He carried out the matter so there was nothing but
what the two states sought against their enemies.
What the two states sought regarding the enemies
وأجارand protected الملكthe realm منfrom غاصبهits usurper
وأجار الملك من غاصبه
وكفىand spared الأوطانthe homelands شرthe harm الحدثانtime's misfortunes
وكفى الأوطان شر الحدثان
And he protected the realm from its usurper,
And the king took refuge from his usurper
and spared the lands the ravages of time.
And protected the homelands from the evils of discord
ثاقبpenetrating الرأيjudgment حكيمwise حاذقskillful
ثاقب الرأي حكيم حاذق
يظهرhe shows الشدةsternness حيناًat times والليانand gentleness
يظهر الشدة حيناً والليان
Keen in judgment, wise and skilled,
Penetrating in opinion, wise and prudent
he shows sternness at times, and gentleness.
Sometimes showing firmness, sometimes gentleness
ولهand he has فيin كلevery يومday همةhigh resolve
وله في كل يوم همة
وندىand generosity تثنىspeak in praise عليهof him الأُمَّتانthe two nations
وندى تثنى عليه الأُمَّتان
And each day he shows high resolve
And he has in every day a resolve
and generosity, for which the two nations praise him.
And dew for which the two nations praise him
ياO شبابyouthful vigor الملكof kingship ياO بهجتهits splendor
يا شباب الملك يا بهجته
دمتmay you remain للملكfor the realm رجاءa hope وأمانand security
دمت للملك رجاء وأمان
O youthful vigor of kingship, O its splendor,
O youth of the king, o his delight
may you remain the realm's hope and security.
Remain for the king hopeful and secure
إنindeed عرشاًa throne تتجلىyou shine فوقهabove it
إن عرشاً تتجلى فوقه
لَمقامٌsurely a station يشتهيهcovet it النيِّرانthe sun and moon
لَمقامٌ يشتهيه النيِّران
Indeed, a throne above which you shine
For above him shines a throne
is a station coveted by the sun and moon;
An abode coveted by the burning flames
وحساماًand a keen sword تنتضيهyou unsheathe it غازياًon campaign
وحساماً تنتضيه غازياً
لَنذيرٌsurely a warning يتقيهfear it الثقلانhumankind and jinn
لَنذيرٌ يتقيه الثقلان
and a keen sword you unsheathe on campaign
And a sword he victoriously brandishes
is a warning feared by both humans and jinn;
A warner feared by the mountains
ومناراًand a beacon تبتنيهyou build it عالياًhigh
ومناراً تبتنيه عالياً
لِهُدىfor the guidance of الناسِpeople لَباقٍsurely enduring غيرnot فانperishing
لِهُدى الناسِ لَباقٍ غير فان
and a beacon you build aloft
And a minaret he erects, lofty
to guide the people will endure and never perish.
As guidance for people, lasting, not ephemeral
إنindeed مصراًEgypt لعروسٌsurely a bride زفَّهاled her in bridal procession
إن مصراً لعروسٌ زفَّها
وحلاهاand adorned her عيدكyour festival الأسنىmost radiant وزانand beautified
وحلاها عيدك الأسنى وزان
Egypt is indeed a bride, led in bridal procession,
Egypt is a bride he wed
adorned and graced by your most radiant festival.
And adorned her, your finest feast and pomp
فهيso she is فيin حليتهاher finery باهرةdazzling
فهي في حليتها باهرة
تملأshe fills الأنفسsouls أنساًdelight وافتتانand enchantment
تملأ الأنفس أنساً وافتتان
So she is dazzling in her finery,
She is dazzling in her jewels
filling souls with delight and enchantment.
Filling souls with intimacy and fascination
لكyours ماضيهاher past وآتيهاand her future كماjust as
لك ماضيها وآتيها كما
لكyours غاليprecious تاجهاher crown والصولجانand the scepter
لك غالي تاجها والصولجان
Yours are her past and future, just as
Hers are your past and future
yours are her precious crown and the scepter.
Yours are her precious crown and scepter
ولكand yours النيلانthe two Niles ينسابانflow بالwith the
ولك النيلان ينسابان بال
خيرbounty فيin قطرينtwo lands صاراthey have become كالجنانlike gardens
خير في قطرين صارا كالجنان
And yours are the two Niles, flowing with
And yours are the two Niles flowing with
bounty through two lands that have become like gardens.
Goodness in two streams made like gardens
وحصونand fortresses وجيوشand armies عودتhave accustomed
وحصون وجيوش عودت
مصرEgypt أنto تنصرbe victorious فيin الحربwar العوانrepeatedly fought
مصر أن تنصر في الحرب العوان
And fortresses and armies that have accustomed
And fortresses and armies you returned
Egypt to victory in long-fought war.
For Egypt to be victorious in times of distress
ولواءand a banner تنشرyou spread الأمنsecurity بهthrough it
ولواء تنشر الأمن به
وارفample الظلshade شديدvigorous الخفقانfluttering
وارف الظل شديد الخفقان
And a banner through which you spread security,
And a banner you unfurl, security beneath it
ample in shade and vigorous in its flutter.
Its ample shade violently fluttering
ياO ابنson توفيقof Tawfiq أجبanswer دعوةthe call منthose who
يا ابن توفيق أجب دعوة من
لمhave not يرواseen غيركother than you مولىa lord مستعانsought for help
لم يروا غيرك مولى مستعان
O son of Tawfiq, answer the call of those
O son of Tawfiq, answer the call of one
who have seen no lord to call upon for help but you.
Who has not seen but you a dependable master
ولماand for what تنويهyou intend it فيon الأرضearth انتهزseize
ولما تنويه في الأرض انتهز
هذهthis الفرصةopportunity إنindeed الوقتthe time حانhas come
هذه الفرصة إن الوقت حان
And for what you intend on earth, seize
And when you intend good upon the land, seize
this opportunity: the time has come.
This opportunity, for the time has come
وانصرand aid الشرقthe East علىagainst أعدائهits enemies
وانصر الشرق على أعدائه
فلقدfor indeed دانsubmitted بنوهits sons منذsince دانit submitted
فلقد دان بنوه منذ دان
And aid the East against its enemies,
And aid the East against its enemies
for its sons have submitted ever since it submitted.
For its people have submitted since submitting
فهوso it لاdoes not يرضىaccept مليكاًa king آمراًcommanding
فهو لا يرضى مليكاً آمراً
غيرexcept منone who يحمىprotects حماهits domain أنlest يهانit be humiliated
غير من يحمى حماه أن يهان
So it accepts no commanding king
It does not accept an ordering king
except one who shields its domain from dishonor.
Other than one who protects its protector from disgrace
واملأand fill الواديَthe valley بشراًcheer ورضاًand contentment
واملأ الواديَ بشراً ورضاً
لوفودfor delegations الشكرof thanks منfrom قاصfar ودانand near
لوفود الشكر من قاص ودان
And fill the valley with cheer and contentment
And fill the valley with people and contentment
for delegations of thanks from far and near.
For delegations of gratitude from far and near
وارعand tend شعباًa people طائعاًobedient مستسلماًsubmissive
وارع شعباً طائعاً مستسلماً
حبهits love فيكfor you تجلىbecame manifest للعيانto the eye
حبه فيك تجلى للعيان
And tend a people obedient and submissive,
And tend to a compliant submissive people
whose love for you has become plain to see.
Their love for you has been revealed to all
ومنand from الصدقsincerity مغالاتيَmy extravagance فيin
ومن الصدق مغالاتيَ في
مدحكpraising you المعجزthat baffles أبطالthe champions البيانof eloquence
مدحك المعجز أبطال البيان
And sincerity underlies my extravagance in
And of my sincerity in
praising you, which baffles the champions of eloquence.
Praising you, the miraculous, the masters of rhetoric
ومحالand impossible أنthat ترانيyou see me غافلاًheedless
ومحال أن تراني غافلاً
عنكof you يوماًfor a day أوor يقولsay القومthe people خانhe was disloyal
عنك يوماً أو يقول القوم خان
And it is impossible that you should find me heedless
And it is impossible for you to see me
of you for a day, or that people should say, 'He was disloyal.'
Oblivious of you a day, or the people say I betrayed
فتحكمso rule فيin زمانan age خاضعsubmissive
فتحكم في زمان خاضع
لكto you بالعيدينat the two festivals نادىcalled out بشريانtwo glad tidings
لك بالعيدين نادى بشريان
So rule in an age that bows
For you rule in a time obedient
to you; two glad tidings have rung out at both festivals.
To you, with the two Eids, its arteries pulsed