أوليَّO heir عهدِsuccession عزيزِthe ruler of مصرِEgypt وملكِهِand his dominion
أوليَّ عهدِ عزيزِ مصرِ وملكِهِ
حياكmay it greet you روحthe spirit of اللّهGod عبدAbd (servant of) المنعمِal-Mun‘im (the Bestower)
حياك روح اللّه عبد المنعمِ
O Crown Prince of Egypt’s sovereign and king,
O heir to Egypt’s ruler and his dominion,
may the Spirit of God give you life, ʿAbd al-Munʿim.
May the Spirit of God greet you, Abd al-Mun‘im.
ورعتكand may it guard you تستبقيpreserving حياتَكyour life ياO ابنson of عبAb- (beginning of Abbas)
ورعتك تستبقي حياتَك يا ابن عب
باسِ-bas (completing Abbas) العلىlofty glory عينُthe eye of النبيthe Prophet الأكرمِthe most noble
باسِ العلى عينُ النبي الأكرمِ
May the noble Prophet’s watchful eye preserve your life, O son of
And may you be guarded, your life preserved, O son of Abbas
ʿAbbas of lofty glory.
of lofty glory, by the eye of the most noble Prophet.
إهنأrejoice بثالثةin the third السنينof the years فإنهاfor it is
إهنأ بثالثة السنين فإنها
لكfor you فيin مراقيthe ascents of المجدglory ثالثa third سُلَّمladder
لك في مراقي المجد ثالث سُلَّم
Rejoice in your third year, for it is
Rejoice in your third year, for it is
your third step upon the stairways of glory:
your third ladder up the heights of glory.
سنةٌa year أنالgranted الأرضَthe earth مقدمُthe arrival of خيرِهاits goodness
سنةٌ أنال الأرضَ مقدمُ خيرِها
قدميكyour two feet فاحتفلتso it celebrated بأسعدat the happiest مقدمarrival
قدميك فاحتفلت بأسعد مقدم
a year in which the advent of its choicest gift granted the earth
A year whose goodness, on arriving, granted the earth
your two feet—and so it celebrated the happiest of arrivals.
your two feet; so it celebrated the happiest arrival.
طربتit thrilled بنقلat the movement of خطاكyour steps فوقupon أديمهاits skin
طربت بنقل خطاك فوق أديمها
طربthe rapture of المشوقthe yearning lover بنغمةat the melody of المترنمthe singer
طرب المشوق بنغمة المترنم
It thrilled at the tread of your steps upon its surface,
It thrilled as your steps moved across its skin,
as a yearning lover thrills to the singer’s melody,
with a yearning lover’s rapture at a singer’s melody,
علماًknowing بأنكthat you سوفwill تملؤهاfill it هدىguidance
علماً بأنك سوف تملؤها هدى
وبغيرand of anything other than ماwhat ترجوyou hope لهاfor it لمdid not تعلمknow
وبغير ما ترجو لها لم تعلم
knowing that you will fill it with guidance;
knowing that you will fill it with guidance,
it knew nothing beyond the hopes it cherishes for itself.
and knowing nothing but what you hope for it.
ورأىand saw البريةhumankind حينwhen نطقِكyour speaking أنهthat it
ورأى البرية حين نطقِك أنه
فيهمamong them سيعلوwill surpass كلevery نطقutterance محكمwell-crafted
فيهم سيعلو كل نطق محكم
And when you spoke, all humankind perceived that
And humankind saw, when you spoke, that your speech
among them every consummate utterance would rise.
would surpass every well-crafted utterance among them.
ولسوفand surely will تصعدyou ascend قبةthe dome of الفلكthe firmament الذيwhich
ولسوف تصعد قبة الفلك الذي
غيرother than النجابةnoble promise فيكin you لمdid not يتوسَّمdiscern
غير النجابة فيك لم يتوسَّم
You shall ascend the vault of the firmament, which
And surely you will ascend the dome of the firmament, which
discerned in you nothing but excellence.
discerned in you nothing but noble promise,
وتنالُand you attain أسبابَthe pathways of السماءheaven بهمةwith a resolve
وتنالُ أسبابَ السماء بهمة
مأثورةhanded down عنfrom جدكyour forebear المتقدمwho went before
مأثورة عن جدك المتقدم
And you shall grasp the pathways of heaven with an aspiration
and reach the pathways of heaven with a resolve
inherited from your illustrious forefather.
handed down from your forebear who went before.
أولىmost fitting بغرةfor the dawn of كلeach يومday منof حياlife- (beginning of ‘your life’)
أولى بغرة كل يوم من حيا
تكyour (completing ‘your life’) أنthat يراهsee it الناسpeople أجملَthe loveliest موسمfestival
تك أن يراه الناس أجملَ موسم
The dawn of every day of your life is most worthy
The dawn of each day of your life is most worthy
to be seen by all as the loveliest celebration.
of being seen by people as the loveliest festival.
عشlive فيin بلادthe lands of أبيكyour father مدَّخراًkept in reserve لِماfor what
عش في بلاد أبيك مدَّخراً لِما
يعطيكhe gives you فيin المستقبلthe future المتبسمsmiling
يعطيك في المستقبل المتبسم
Live in your father’s land, preserved for all that
Live in your father’s lands, kept in reserve for what
the smiling future shall bestow upon you.
he will give you in the smiling future.